Broody Turkey

[tinzman8]

Hey guys, I have a question..I have 2 hen turkeys and a tom. One of my hens is laying fertile eggs daily for the past 6 days and the other hen is not. However the one that is NOT laying eggs is super broody and wont leave the nest box for more than a minute a couple times a day. So i have been putting the fertile turkeys eggs under her in hopes of them hatching. I know i should have probably collected a weeks worth or so and then put them under her at the same time so i get the same hatch date but i didnt. You think i'll have a descent hatch? (I was planning on taking the chicks from her as they hatch and putting them in my brooder) Also i havent seen her turning the eggs much, is this normal?

 

[sparkles2307]

I wish I knew. The only time I'be had a turkey hatch her own we didn't find the nest till close to hatching time. She was agressive so we werent able to observe her behaviors in regards to turning. If you have a bator you could wait and see how many she hatches and then put the rest in to finish?

 

[kuntrygirl]

How many eggs are under her? I always steal eggs and put under the first broody hen that comes along. I always have good hatch rates. I don't know if you will have a good hatch or not. Just hard to say but I'm hoping you do. I always have staggered hatches. As soon as they are hatched, I let them dry off and bring them inside under and put them in the brooder. As far as her turning the eggs. When I go in to collect eggs in the nesting boxes and check on the girls, they always rise up and turn their eggs. I"m sure yours are turning their eggs during the day when you're not there.

Good luck.

 

[tinzman8]

Thanks, Yeah she is really aggressive and protective of her nest right now...I have a scab on my hand to prove it. I think i am going to fire up my incubator and put any others i get in there.

 

[tinzman8]

I have a half dozen eggs under her right now, and yeah I was able to go out there today while she was off the nest and she had rearranged them.

 

[zzGypsy]

I've got a turkey hen setting and she collected some additional eggs at least a week after she started... so far, she's hatched 2 turkey poults and 3 chicks (yes, she collected chicken eggs too) over a week. and there's still a couple of duck eggs under her.

greedy girl wants to hatch *every*thing.