At the Raven Ridge Wildlife Center in Pennsylvania, a call came in from the Game Warden about two poults (newly hatched baby turkeys) a Good Samaritan had found running along the road. It was assumed their mother had been killed – most likely she had been struck by a car.
The wildlife facility offered to rehabilitate the two poults until they are old enough to be released. In order to make them more comfortable, the team created a mother-like environment in their incubator, using a feather duster for them to hide in. Helping to comfort these wild creatures aid in their recovery and rehabilitation.
Turkeys are precocial birds, meaning they are able to care for themselves soon after they hatch. They are able to find their own food, however, they do rely on their mother for warmth and protection.
The feather duster hangs from the inside of the incubator. It’s quite natural for the babies to identify with, and they are able to hide under it.
In addition, the staff also placed pictures of adult turkeys in the incubator; making it easier for the chicks to identify with an adult role model.
The baby chicks will spend more of the summer at the wildlife center. They will then be moved to a larger crate and spend time outdoors. Once they get used to being outside, they will be released back into the wild.
For now, the staff watches them running in and out from the duster, and they seem so much calmer as they are now eating more and gaining weight.
That feather duster may not be mommy, but sometimes one just has to improvise to save precious lives.
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