Another turkey rookie here needing help with hatching eggs!

[GA_Gypsy]

Been looking for my answer online but can't seems to find it exactly. I think I'm trying to find a day by day egg hatching guide when incubating eggs. Maybe you all can help!

Say I have an egg that was laid on 3/10. I immediately brought it in and placed it in my styrofoam Little Giant incubator and marked the date on it. I turn it 3x a day. I've also candled it 3x and have seen some veins with a small mass.

So today its day 18, right? Now what? Was I supposed to incubate it immediately? I've come across the term "lockdown" but not sure what that means. Can someone sorta guide me through what I've done and what comes next?

Also, tips on tiny babies and what to do with them would be much appriciated!

Thanks!

 

[bargain]

Hi, fellow Georgian

If those are your eggs you can collect them and put them in when you wish certainly the younger, the better in terms of hatchability, but you may collect turkeys for yourself up to 7 days without a decline in fertility and put them in the incubator or under a broody hen. Today is actually day 16. Don't count a day until 24 hours are over.

Your turkeys generally hatch at day 28.... so lockdown, for turkeys is day 25 - after that you turn no more.

It helps turkeys to have companion chickens with them for the first few days to guide them to feed. Good luck. We love our Heritage Bourbon Eggs and are just now hatching and selling some.... Turkeys have the most appealing eyes and will bond to your voice even before you see them. We mist our turkey eggs lightly before setting and again just before lockdown as long as there are no cracks!

Hope this was helpful and do feel free to ask questions. We farm full time for a living, but I try to drop by and see who has questions when I can!!!