New Tom Introduced, how long after mating until eggs are fertile?

adylina

In the Brooder
May 20, 2015
52
6
31
Missouri
400


I have had four hens but no tom, and today I finally located and brought home a male and another hen of the same breed. They are all adults of breeding age and when placed in the pen together the tom got right to work. How long after mating should I wait before it can be assumed the eggs are fertile and able to be used for incubation? Does the bullseye test used on chicken eggs for checking fertility apply for turkey eggs too?

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Yes on the bulls eye and for other birds as well. A month of being penned together is plenty of time for fertilized eggs. If for some reason your eggs aren't coming out fertile, you can get a farm hand for cheap to artificially inseminate your turkeys. Modern turkeys have problems transferring their sperm sometimes due to excess feathering or weight.
 
Yes on the bulls eye and for other birds as well. A month of being penned together is plenty of time for fertilized eggs. If for some reason your eggs aren't coming out fertile, you can get a farm hand for cheap to artificially inseminate your turkeys. Modern turkeys have problems transferring their sperm sometimes due to excess feathering or weight.

Those are heritage turkeys and will not have any problems breeding unless the tom happens to be one that is more interested in playing around than in breeding. It is the broad breasted not the heritage turkeys that are being produced through artificial insemination.
 


I have had four hens but no tom, and today I finally located and brought home a male and another hen of the same breed. They are all adults of breeding age and when placed in the pen together the tom got right to work. How long after mating should I wait before it can be assumed the eggs are fertile and able to be used for incubation? Does the bullseye test used on chicken eggs for checking fertility apply for turkey eggs too?


You should be able to assume that your hens will be laying fertilized eggs a couple of days after breeding. The eggs that were already in process can't be fertilized once they have started the shell formation but the following eggs should get fertilized.
 
You should be able to assume that your hens will be laying fertilized eggs a couple of days after breeding.  The eggs that were already in process can't be fertilized once they have started the shell formation but the following eggs should get fertilized.


Thank you so much! I really appreciate the answer and am excited at the prospect of having turkey poults running around :)
 

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