Where Do Baby Turkeys Sleep?

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September 12, 2022 by Marjorie R. Rogers, MA (English), Certified Consultant

Baby turkeys, or poults, sleep in nests. The nest is a shallow bowl made of grass and leaves, lined with feathers. Poults will also use their mother’s breast feathers to line the nest.

The mother turkey will help her chicks build the nest and will teach them how to keep it clean and comfortable.

In the wild, baby turkeys, or poults, sleep in trees. Their mother will roost in a tree at night, and the poults will follow her up and snuggle in close to stay warm. This gives them some protection from predators that might be lurking on the ground.

In captivity, baby turkeys can sleep anywhere that is safe and comfortable for them. Some people like to put them in a box with straw or shredded newspaper for bedding. Others let them sleep on the floor of their chicken coop.

As long as they are warm and protected from predators, they will be fine.

What Do Baby Turkeys Eat

As you know, baby turkeys are called poults. In the wild, poults eat mainly insects and other small invertebrates. However, when raised on a farm, they are typically fed a commercial diet of turkey pellets or crumbles.

Turkey pellets or crumbles are a complete feed that contains all the necessary nutrients for proper growth and development. The ingredient list may vary depending on the manufacturer but generally includes corn, soybean meal, wheat, vitamin A & D supplements, and minerals. Poults should be offered feed continuously throughout the day starting at about 1 week of age.

The amount of food will increase as they grow older and can eventually be self-fed from a hopper feeder. It’s important to provide fresh clean water at all times as well.

Where Do Baby Turkeys Sleep?

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Where Do Baby Turkeys Go at Night?

Most baby turkeys, or poults, spend their first few nights in a warm brooder with artificial lighting and heat. After that, they are typically moved to an outdoor pen where they will roost in trees at night. Poults can fly short distances at around two weeks old, so they don’t need much help getting up into the tree branches.

Do Baby Turkeys Roost in Trees at Night?

Do baby turkeys roost in trees at night? No, baby turkeys do not roost in trees at night. Instead, they spend their nights on the ground in small groups.

This is because they are not yet strong enough to fly up into the trees like adult turkeys can. However, once they reach adulthood, they will start to roost in trees at night like the rest of their flock.

Where Do Turkeys Have Their Nests?

Turkeys are ground nesting birds, meaning they make their nests on the ground. They do not build nests like other birds, but instead scrape out a shallow depression in the ground and line it with leaves and grass. The female turkey will lay anywhere from 5 to 25 eggs in her nest, and she will incubate them for about 28 days.

Once the chicks hatch, they are able to fly short distances and find their own food.

What Do You Do If You Find a Wild Baby Turkey?

If you find a wild baby turkey, the best thing to do is to leave it alone. Baby turkeys, or poults, are born fully feathered and able to fly short distances within 24 hours of hatching. Their mother will take care of them and teach them everything they need to know about being a wild turkey.

If you try to raise a baby turkey yourself, it will not be able to survive in the wild when you release it.

Wild turkeys roosting with babies (poults).

Conclusion

In this post, the author discusses where baby turkeys sleep. Baby turkeys typically sleep in a nest that is lined with soft grasses and feathers. The mother turkey will usually stay close by to protect her young.

When the weather is warm, baby turkeys will sometimes take naps in the sun.

About Author (Marjorie R. Rogers)

The inspiring mum of 6 who dedicates her time to supporting others. While battling with her own demons she continues to be the voice for others unable to speak out. Mental illness almost destroyed her, yet here she is fighting back and teaching you all the things she has learned along the way. Get Started To Read …