Broody turkey hatching chicken and turkey eggs question

[highrockieschic]

This is my first time with turkeys. I have one male splash blue slate turkey and a female black heritage breed. They were supposed to be processed last fall, but we decided to move and so it didn't get done and now they've kind of become pets... LOL! Anyway, my female (Blackie) started laying eggs and became broody. She chose a nest spot outside my coop, but thankfully still in my yard. I decided that it might be kind of fun to hatch some chicken eggs under her. I seriously didn't think any of her eggs would be fertile because my male turkey is the dumbest, most clumsy bird ever. I only saw them mate successfully once, and that was months ago. She doesn't even seem to like him.

Anyway, I put 6 chicken eggs under Blackie and she laid 5 eggs of her own. I candled them at 10 days and TWO of her eggs look like they are developing! Five of the chicken eggs are growing. I didn't realize that turkey eggs take longer to hatch until just now when I looked it up. Do you think Blackie will still sit on the eggs that haven't hatched yet after the chicks hatch? Has anyone done this? I plan on taking the chicks from her and putting them in a brooder.

 

[PoofBallSilkie]

This is my first time with turkeys. I have one male splash blue slate turkey and a female black heritage breed. They were supposed to be processed last fall, but we decided to move and so it didn't get done and now they've kind of become pets... LOL! Anyway, my female (Blackie) started laying eggs and became broody. She chose a nest spot outside my coop, but thankfully still in my yard. I decided that it might be kind of fun to hatch some chicken eggs under her. I seriously didn't think any of her eggs would be fertile because my male turkey is the dumbest, most clumsy bird ever. I only saw them mate successfully once, and that was months ago. She doesn't even seem to like him.

Anyway, I put 6 chicken eggs under Blackie and she laid 5 eggs of her own. I candled them at 10 days and TWO of her eggs look like they are developing! Five of the chicken eggs are growing. I didn't realize that turkey eggs take longer to hatch until just now when I looked it up. Do you think Blackie will still sit on the eggs that haven't hatched yet after the chicks hatch? Has anyone done this? I plan on taking the chicks from her and putting them in a brooder.

Typically I have heard that hens will stay put until all the eggs are hatched, but don’t quote me on that. Maybe getting up to feed the current chicks for a bit but then returning to the eggs at least I would hope. I would assume chicken and turkey hens would act in this same way.

 

[highrockieschic]

My chicken chicks hatched today. I want expecting them until tomorrow! It's a good thing I checked under my turkey! She's still laying on her eggs.

Two of the five chicken chicks died while hatching. For some reason the membrane was super thick. I had to peel it off the last two chicks. The egg shell was completely off, but the membrane was still around them. I think maybe that's the reason the two died. The others are alive and fluffy cheeked! I have them in a brooder inside. So cute!

 

[highrockieschic]

I love the fluffy cheeks they got from the Easter Egger roo. So cute!

So far my turkey is still sitting on her eggs. Another week to go!

 

[highrockieschic]

My turkey stayed on the nest and hatched a single cute baby of her own. I wish I could let her raise it, but we have 2 cats who are crazy good hunters. He wouldn't survive. Eventually maybe I'll have a turkey area where they are protected, but for now this little one will be raised with the chicken chicks.

 

[highrockieschic]

My turkey hen had one egg left that she was sitting on. I think it started to develop, but died a while ago. She got up today to eat and drink, so I took that opportunity to candle the egg. It was rotten, so I removed it from her nest. She still went back to the nest even with no eggs... I'm wondering now if she will go back to sleeping in the chicken coop like before. I tried putting her in the coop, but she made sad peeping sounds and paced back and forth. I feel bad for her. Poor lady.