Turkey hen is sitting on her nest with eggs, but

[sandy sea]

Hen turkey is sitting on her eggs but there are a few chicken eggs in the pile. Should I try to remove the chicken eggs or leave them. I know that turkey eggs hatch about a week after chicken eggs. Will she hatch out the chicken eggs first and wait for the turkey eggs to hatch?

 

[nuthatched]

Yes, remove the chicken eggs.

 

[Molpet]

She will most likely leave the turkey eggs to die.
But they can be surprising.
I have had one that ignored the chicks and stayed on the nest,
one that killed everyone
and one that stayed on eggs that never hatched while the young wandered off looking for food

 

[sandy sea]

Thanks, I will try to remove the chicken eggs. Another question, She has her nest in the coop in a large wooden crate on the floor. The opening is still pretty large. Should I close off more of the opening so that the Tom can not get to her? What size should I leave open for her?

 

[R2elk]

Thanks, I will try to remove the chicken eggs. Another question, She has her nest in the coop in a large wooden crate on the floor. The opening is still pretty large. Should I close off more of the opening so that the Tom can not get to her? What size should I leave open for her?

It would be better to put an enclosure around the nest. An 8"x8" opening will let the hen through and should keep the tom out. Of course this applies to heritage turkeys and not broad breasted ones.

If you can move her box into a corner, the corner will provide two of the walls of the enclosure which can be made from fencing.