another question about eggs

[hensplease]

when should my hen lay an egg shes 4 months old and will she go brody shes a bourbon red

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

Here is what I found on WikiAnswers

Turkeys lay from early spring to early summer, a span of about 4 months. During that time the turkey will lay 12-18 eggs and then sit on them. If you collect their eggs they will continue to lay, eventually producing an average of 1 egg every 2 days for a possible total of 80-100 eggs.

So you might see your first egg around March or April. As for going broody, that is up to the bird. Many birds have been bred so much that they do not go broody.

 

[ThePamperedPullet]

Found this on Shady Hollow farms site

Behavior: Toms will spread their tail feathers in a fan and will fluff up all the feathers on the breast and
back. He will drop his wings to the ground and pull his neck back. The skin on the head will change color
from blue to red to white. When he struts like this for the hen he will let out hisses and deep thumps from
the chest. The tom can point his tail and wings toward the hen that he is trying to pursue. Toms will
commonly jump and peck at each others neck to establish dominance over a flock. When a hen is ready
for mating she will lower herself to the ground and submit to the tom. Toms will respond to sounds in
their environment with the classic gobble. The males stretch their necks out and rattle their heads while
they produce this long-distance sound. Heritage turkeys are naturally curious and can become very tame.

Breeding: One tom can successfully be paired up with multiple hens. Optimum fertility is usually
obtained by 2 toms with 7 or 8 hens or by keeping one tom with 2 or 3 hens. Courtship starts in late winter
and early spring. Breeding cycles through spring and into early summer. Hens will usually lay two
clutches of about a dozen eggs. Older hens may lay more and younger hens less. Hens will readily
incubate and brood poults, though it is more beneficial to rear them in a brooder. Turkey hens aren't
always aware of the poults, which are very curious. They will investigate lots of things which can lead
them into trouble. Taking a hens eggs, allowing her to lay everyday will obtain close to 100 eggs per hen

 

[pdpatch]

Turkeys usually have to periods a year they lay eggs, fall and spring. Generally they won't lay until they are around 8 to 9 months old. Red bourbons can start to lay in January depending on the condition like temperature, and amount of light. They will continue to lay until they have any where from a couple of eggs to about 9 or so. They usually lay ever other day.

Usually more then one turkey will lay in a nest, and only one will be broody, or many and they will fight over the nest, when there is enough eggs to hatch. With one they may never actually sit on the nest, so you may need an incubator. As far as nest, they usually won't use the one you make for them, and may just choose to make there own.

With Turkeys there are some general rules that apply. But about the time you think you have it all figured out, they breaks the rules.

Tom

As far as the number of Tom's one usually is calm, two usually means fighting a lot because they try to change the pecking order a lot, three tome is better then two as the fight less. For each tom have at least 3 to 4 hens minimum.

A Turkey hen very seldom lays a hundred eggs a year.