Can turkeys hatch chicken eggs?

[KarateHorse]

We have a broad breasted bronze turkey hen. She has been laying eggs for a while and now she is broody. We don't have a tom so they are not fertile. She is sitting on one of her eggs. Could she hatch chicken eggs or would she break them? If not could we just get a baby turkey for her to raise?

 

[R2elk]

We have a broad breasted bronze turkey hen. She has been laying eggs for a while and now she is broody. We don't have a tom so they are not fertile. She is sitting on one of her eggs. Could she hatch chicken eggs or would she break them? If not could we just get a baby turkey for her to raise?

My experience with BB hens is that they are not capable of making the extremely gentle movements with their legs that heritage hens can and do make. If she is successful in hatching chicken eggs, she will likely end up stepping on and crushing the newly hatched chicks.

I had one hatch a turkey egg and the poult ended up crushed. I also had one hatch two goose eggs and she ended up stepping on both goslings. One died and one survived but needed help in recovering.

 

[KarateHorse]

My experience with BB hens is that they are not capable of making the extremely gentle movements with their legs that heritage hens can and do make.  If she is successful in hatching chicken eggs, she will likely end up stepping on and crushing the newly hatched chicks.

I had one hatch a turkey egg and the poult ended up crushed.  I also had one hatch two goose eggs and she ended up stepping on both goslings.  One died and one survived but needed help in recovering. 

Ok thanks she really wants to be a mom. Do you know if she would except an older poult?

 

[R2elk]

Ok thanks she really wants to be a mom. Do you know if she would except an older poult?

It depends on the individual hen. I have hens that will take older poults after I steal their freshly hatched poults. In order to get her to take an older poult, you need to let her set long enough that she is ready for the eggs to hatch. Trying to give her a poult early on is not likely to be successful since she is not ready to be done sitting. I highly recommend not getting just one poult as they really need more company and it is too easy for something to happen to just one poult.

You may want to get another hen or two so that she has company.

Good luck.

 

[KarateHorse]

It depends on the individual hen.  I have hens that will take older poults after I steal their freshly hatched poults.  In order to get her to take an older poult, you need to let her set long enough that she is ready for the eggs to hatch.  Trying to give her a poult early on is not likely to be successful since she is not ready to be done sitting.  I highly recommend not getting just one poult as they really need more company and it is too easy for something to happen to just one poult.

You may want to get another hen or two so that she has company.

Good luck.

We had three hens but we lost one so now she only has one other turkey friend. She has been "squatting" for us waiting for a tom so she really wants eggs.