Turkey poults then and now

These four poults had a rough start ― just look at them now

Because these wild turkey poults know and trust me, they come rather close and continue to be very curious about the camera. Otherwise, they are watchful and wary, just as nature intended them to be. This bed of pachysandra is one of their favorite dining spots; lots of insects are attracted to its cool and shady interior.

The growth rate of the poults is remarkable. Since June they have grown almost as large their mother. You can see that she continues to keep a close eye on them in the middle photo (click on it for a better view). She has certainly done a phenomenal job of raising them. 

The "family" unit is now comprised of: Mom, the four poults, Auntie Hen and Tommy. He recently returned from a three-month walkabout. That's him in the middle photo,  farthest from the poults. Click on the photo and you can see his long beard touching the ground. The poults are his offspring. More on him in my next post.