Stocking Eastern Turkey Poults with Surrogate Rio Grande Hens
Within 12 hours posthatching, poults from captive-reared wild eastern turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo silvestris) were placed under broody domestic bronze turkey hens to imprint the poults (Gore and Synatske 1978). As many as 15 eastern poults were placed under each broody hen at night without disturbing the hens. After 1 week, surviving poults were removed and replaced with newly hatched poults. The week-old eastern poults were then placed with wild-trapped Rio Grande turkey hens (M g. intermedia). Broodiness was induced in the wild hens by oral administration of 50% ethyl alcohol (1 ml/0.45...
