Advice on Turkey Eggs Needed

[FarmerMac]

Depends on the mom. I had one hen that would adopt any chick/poult that came along while she was brooding.

But another hen lost her clutch and she tried then to kill any poult she saw.

If you want I would say give it a try just be watchful and see how she takes to them.

The poults would have to be a couple day old so the can imprint to the hen. Otherwise they would be afraid and run away from her. Also introduce them at nigh so in the morning when they pop out from under her, she will think that are hers. Good luck

 

[R2elk]

The poults would have to be a couple day old so the can imprint to the hen. Otherwise they would be afraid and run away from her. Also introduce them at nigh so in the morning when they pop out from under her, she will think that are hers. Good luck

I find this to not be true. I place 2 to 4 week old poults in an area with a broody that has had her poults taken from her. If it hasn't been too long since her poults were taken from her, she will round up the poults and take control of them. They very quickly bond with the hen and then she raises them for me.

If it is too late in the cycle she will just ignore the poults and I end up raising them.

Because my hens are in the general population I never allow them to have newly hatched poults because there are just too many things that can happen to the little ones.

 

[drdoolittle]

Thank you all for the advice! I really worked on the pen tonight to make it predator proof and comforting for the hens/poults. My poor, sweet hens are obviously still mourning the loss of the two poults. Yesterday they were varying between proudly walking around, talking to their babies and setting on the floor and tucking the babies under them. Tonight they seem very sad, making mournful sound and seeming unsettled. My bourbon hen is setting on the remaining eggs. She keeps looking underneath herself to see if any hatched.
I think I may buy some more poults this weekend if no other eggs hatch.

 

[benewjr]

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.

 

[benewjr]

My turkey is laying eggs but she does not lay them in one place nor does she sit one them I have notice that they seem to be getting moved I don't know what to do will they hatch