Turkey blog~Tatiana’s Epic Love Story~ Nesting

Tatiana lays an egg almost daily now. I don’t think they are fertile at this time. I have not seen her and Misha successfully mate. When she lays down for me, I step aside and he is always close by watching her. As soon as he approaches she runs away. I make a big show of backing down to Misha when she can see me. He puffs up and I run away like I’m scared of that big turkey, so that she thinks he is the dominant male of our situation. So far she is not convinced.

Her nesting behavior is causing me a lot of anxiety. She sneaks off into the forest past the fence looking for a good spot to lay her egg. I can’t always find them. I worry that when she accumulates a good pile she will stay on them and I will lose her to the forest and all the predators contained within its shadows.

She won’t lay her eggs in the nesting box the chickens use. It is located in the middle of the pasture where it is safer. She doesn’t like chickens.

I can usually tell when she is about to lay an egg because she gets really cranky. She will chase after the nearest chicken and bite it. She seems anxious as she looks for a new spot each day. If her egg is gone from the previous day, she will not use the same spot. If I find them I take them. It’s me, I’m the egg stealer. I feel bad but she doesn’t understand all the reasons why she can’t nest in the forest.