how bad is this rain

huntngolf

Six Pointer
ive gotten 2.5 inches today and still raining and more for the next few days. Poults have got to be hatching right now and wondering how bad this will be for this years hatch?
 

jug

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
Well I am no expert but I think Stokes, Forsyth and Rockingham county gotten ALOT of rain in the last month. I am hoping most of those hens are still on the nest but if not those poults are gone. I expect those counties are going to have a poor hatch. Surrounding counties are going to be moderate while counties down east and south should be okay I think. Hens will renest all the way to July 4 from what Mike Seamster told me.
 
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Colekira

Ten Pointer
Contributor
I've got a mature hen wandering around my home all by her lonesome. I'm guessing her eggs didn't make it.
 

Eric Revo

Old Mossy Horns
Contributor
two hens in the back yard for the past several days, no chicks to be found. Our predator population is what I'm going to blame for the decline in our local population (very local). I'm seeing the same flocks out in the fields with no chicks seen with any hens.
 

luckybuck

Old Mossy Horns
Saw a hen with at least 15 little ones on Saturday. If they made it through this rain it will be nearly a miracle. I had some great pictures and video of her.
 

appmtnhntr

Twelve Pointer
I fear for the grouse and quail hatch as well. Almost more than the turkeys.

IIRC, Grouse and Quail have a much more finite range of conditions for successful raising... (Not to mention the predator factor)
 

turkeyfoot

Old Mossy Horns
A common misconception that rain will kill them that is really not so they can move to higher ground unless mass flooding like Misouri had. Its prolonged rain with cool temps that hurts the hatch and it has to be prolonged haven't seen low enough temps to hurt the hatch except some parts of Mtns and hopefully they haven't had majority hatch yet it also taks more than a spell or two because not all will be hatched at same time and as soon as they get feathered up in 2 weeks they will be fine. We had rough cool rainy spell in Mtns 3 yars ago and caused a harvest drop nearly 20% in some places where I hunt was rough last spring but they rebounded nice this spring but this is high elevation areas most all of the state will be fine. These are not tame turkeys they don't drown from the rain its hypothermia that is issue
 

hawglips

Old Mossy Horns
I've quit trying to predict what the weather is doing to the hatch. Every year our summer survey ends up being the same - fair to poor - regardless of weather.
 

woodmoose

Administrator
Staff member
Contributor
I've quit trying to predict what the weather is doing to the hatch. Every year our summer survey ends up being the same - fair to poor - regardless of weather.


we either have lousy brood habitat,,,,,,,or a lousy survey method!!!
 

luckybuck

Old Mossy Horns
this plus the timing.

most poults havent been born yet.unless their nests are flooded this rain is nothing to them.

We already had week old poults here before the rain. They are pretty much done for with five straight days of rain. Supposed to rain again this afternoon so it might finish off any that were left. I hope it hasn't hurt them but I would bet they are all dead.
 

wolfman

Old Mossy Horns
If turkey poults were that susceptible to rain, turkeys would be extinct. It may not be great for them but they will find a way. I also agree oldest that the majority have not hatched yet.
 

oldest school

Old Mossy Horns
If turkey poults were that susceptible to rain, turkeys would be extinct. It may not be great for them but they will find a way. I also agree oldest that the majority have not hatched yet.

this remains one of the most disagreed topic amongst the biologists.

we all know how adamant Mike Seamster was on the topic. yet there are some equally well known bios that say it is no factor at all. Lovett williams comes to mind.

that being said i guess somewhere in the middle lies the truth.
 

smith-n-stokes

Old Mossy Horns
I've been seeing some hens out by themselves driving to work in Rockingham Co this past week.

I know it's aggravating trying to keep the grass in check with all this rain!


Sent from wherever I was at the time...
 

luckybuck

Old Mossy Horns
If turkey poults were that susceptible to rain, turkeys would be extinct. It may not be great for them but they will find a way. I also agree oldest that the majority have not hatched yet.
So you think 5 days straight of rain will not kill poults without feathers if they have no real feathers and just fuzz? Keep in mind this particular hen had at least 15 poults less than a few days old smaller than quail. I hope and pray you are right but I would bet they are dead. I will try to keep tabs on the hen since I kind of know her patterns.
 

Justin

Old Mossy Horns
When birds preen, as they constantly do, they tips of their beaks pull oils out from their skin, along the feathers/down. Natural water repellent. Yes they'll still get soaked in a down pour, and it's not fool proof teflon coating, but that fuzzy coating also traps air, to help insulate them.
 

luckybuck

Old Mossy Horns
Based on sightings this week, it appears 7 of the original 15+ I saw are still alive and big as chickens. At least some should make it now.
 
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