Are Your Hens Setting On Eggs Yet? 2012 POULT FORECAST

[kuntrygirl]

Well, we've got strutting and breeding here in Michigan today.  Eggs are never far to follow.  

Keep us posted.

 

[ivan3]

02/14/12: Well camouflaged, but unauthorized. She'll just have to put up with practicing until May; she's got the hissing bit down cold (like a cobra all the way back to the shed).

 

[pettec63]

Hi there!
I have only had my Broad breasted Bronze Tom and two hens since late last summer. I got one hen as a poult, actually, three of them, one dies a few weeks after I got them. Then one of the hens at 5 months old was found outside one morning dead?? He said she had yellow fluid coming out of her vent, I'm thinking an internal layer. So, that left me with one hen who started laying at about 6 months. Then I got the Tom and new hen, they are just a little older than the first hen. The tom favors the hen he came with, which concerns me, because I would like to get poults from both hens of course.
Here are my questions,
I live up in Washington state, south east side of the state, we have a much drier climate then Seattle, and a bit cooler. It is currently averaging about 45 - 52 during the day and drops to 35 or so at night. What triggers turkey egg production and mating?? Length of daylight?? Or weather?? I have done some google search but, haven't found anything solid on natural production. I keep looking for eggs, but, even if I do I haven't seen any action to make me thing the male has even tried yet?? He was starting to late summer last year tho??
I would appreciate any information you could provide!!
Thanks!!

Oh BTW, the tom has been strutting since I got him, he seems to be all show?? LOL!

 

[pettec63]

Quote:
hmm, well not sure where you live in MI, but I know it's still been a bit cold, do you have older stock??

 

[ivan3]

pettec63 wrote: What triggers turkey egg production and mating?? Length of daylight?? Or weather??

Age, diet, hormones and length of day, primarily.

The jenny, in the snow, in previous post, is seven months old. She started presenting to be bred, and `dropping eggs', at 6 months; just started flying out of run to hunt down nesting locations a couple of weeks ago.. The 1.5 & 6 yr. old hens have yet to show much interest (probably another two-three weeks before they `fall' into the `zone', i.e., behaviorally fixated on need to breed).

A very good article on turkey hens and `light', or lack thereof: http://www.cals.ncsu.edu/agcomm/magazine/spring05/night.htm

 

[pettec63]

Quote:
Hey great Thanks Ivan!! I kind of figured that like their wild counter parts my turkeys had a "season" makes sense tho, chickens go through the seasonal light thing too of course. I haven't seen the one hen "drop" yet like she used to last year, so yea I know what your talking about there, so I will start looking for those signs!! Thanks for the link! I appreciate the help!!

 

[Olive Hill]

hmm, well not sure where you live in MI, but I know it's still been a bit cold, do you have older stock??

It's not been cold here. We're in the high 30s and 40s during the day, twenties at night. That's spring weather for here and about normal for when they normally start laying, just came earlier this year.

I agree with ivan3 about the factors he cited, but also think weather can have some effect. We had a cold snap last week and then it warmed back up again (we've been having this weather all winter here with a cold snap just now and again) and I think that's what jump started their systems.

That said, BBB aren't exactly known for their natural mating ability to begin with so yours 1) may not follow the usual patterns and 2) will be less successful even if your tom doesn't play favorites.

 

[pettec63]

Quote:

Oh man! really? I did see some mating going on last year shortly after I got them. I have been trying to keep their weight down because of that. I did read that the heavier turkey breeds have that problem!! Lets hope we can get some natural breeding going on soon!

Reason I mentioned weather is my mom and dad live in Capac and she told me they had just gotten some snow and it was cold, but, can't remember what day that was, guess it could have been last week!!! LOL!
And thank you so much for the information, as daunting as it may be!! Great article on light and immune systems in turkeys at the above link!!

 

[Olive Hill]

It's not because they're heavy, it's because of how they're built.

 

[SillyChicken]

Olive's right Pette.. the BB turkeys were created to get big for thanksgiving dinner and not to survive and breed. They (Tom's esp) will get to the point where they can't really move around much, and breeding is pretty much impossible. The hens can live longer, and I have one that's over a yr old, but even she is starting to have joint issues. So she'll be put up fairly soon. This is why I'm switching to heritage birds. I'm picking up some royal palms on Sunday!