Advice on Turkey Eggs Needed

[drdoolittle]

I have 3 turkey hens in with one tom. During the day they are loose and I pen them up at night. I made a nest for them last week out of a very large oval plastic tub with straw in it. It's on top of an upended doghouse to keep my two pot belly pigs from getting the eggs.
So far the hens have laid 7 eggs in it, but don't appear to be setting on them. Is this normal? The temps have been down in the low 30s at night at times and I'm worried the eggs are no longer viable. Should I try to bring the eggs in and incubate them, or is it too late? I really, really would love to have some poults this summer.
Thanks for any advice.

 

[chente610]

We have a Royal Palm Tom for our BBW hens. Our BBW Tom we know can't do the deed.

Oh in that case i would recomend some hens that are not broad breasted at all and just a heritage breed

 

[feedman77]

Hens have a "magic" number in their system before the go broody.

Most hens are 8 to 12 eggs. Some have a lot less some more.

I have yearling hen now that has decided 2 eggs is her magic number.

As far as the eggs being cold. If you want babies try to incubate some. If you want the hens to try just leave eggs in the nest. If worried about temps remove the turkey eggs ( bring them inside) and replace them with chicken eggs or fake eggs until the hens start to set and then give them the turkey eggs back to set on.

I had some turkey eggs in the fridge that were in there 2 weeks. I kept it cold. Stuck them in the incubator all 4 developed and I got 1 to hatch.

Turkey eggs are pretty hardy.

 

[drdoolittle]

Thank you so much!

 

[FarmerMac]

When my hens start laying, I collect the eggs from their nest and replace them with some fake eggs. I have some wooden eggs that I leave in their nest, this way they keep laying and I store them in an egg carton pointy end down until one of the hens goes broody.

 

[SMiller1015]

We have a Tom and 3 hens...all BBW. I know he is too big to do the deed so we got a Royal Palm Tom. After noticing that he has been mounting the hens we put some in the incubator. None of them were viable. Not sure what we should do. Any advice would be great. Thanks

 

[feedman77]

We have a Tom and 3 hens...all BBW. I know he is too big to do the deed so we got a Roayl a Palm Tom. After noticing that he has been mounting the hens we put some in the incubator. None of them were viable. Not sure what we should do. Any advice would be great. Thanks

How long was the palm with the hens.

Takes about a week to 2 weeks to get viable eggs.

 

[chente610]

Turkeys usually like chickens have a number to lay before sitting or going broody. Right know i have 5 turkeys sitting anf they have atleast 8-13 eggs under them. Im pretty sure the eggs are still good enough to hatch just wait and hope you get lucky and they go broody good luck

!

 

[SMiller1015]

How long was the palm with the hens.
Takes about a week to 2 weeks to get viable eggs.

He had been in with them approx two weeks. So I should not give up. I will try again. One of the hens has made a nest and is starting to collect eggs. We take them daily. I am afraid that the other birds (chickens, ducks and Guineas) will peck at them and break them. I guess I need to get some more fake eggs. Can I use fake chicken eggs?? We hatch ducks without a problem. Our duck hatching ratio is higher than our chicken hatching. Not sure why though. This is the second batch of turkey eggs. None have hatched

. The first batch was using our BBW tom though. Also do the turkey eggs have to be turned, like chicken eggs while waiting to get enough for her to sit on? Sorry this is so long.

 

[feedman77]

I don't have broadbreasted. From what I've read on here they are not they best broody due to their size.

Use fake eggs or replace with chicken eggs if you want her to keep laying in the same spot.

Turkey eggs incubate the same as chicken or duck eggs.

What humidity do you run on your hatching eggs during incubation?