Eggs or poults???

[GBov]

Have just gotten a place to keep some turkeys and really want to try Midget Whites and hubby said "Why not get some eggs, the bator is sitting idle!" That got me thinking, are eggs alright or are poults a better bet? I hear horror stories about eggs coming through the mail and really dont want to shell out (Get it? Shell out! Mwahahahaaa) on eggs only to get broken eggs or none hatched due to the postal system banging them about.

So is it better to get poults and pay more or take a risk on eggs? So far we have hatched chickens and quail with great success

 

[Omniskies]

You always take a chance with shipped eggs, regardless of whether they are chicken, quail, or duck. But the odds are enough in the hatcher's favor that most people still do it.

Eggs are fine, but make sure you have an incubator tall enough to handle turkey eggs. They have a really pointed tip that will put them too close to the heat in some incubators.

 

[ColbyNTX]

Poults are always eaiser but if you like to hatch then do it. I have hatched several poults from shipped eggs. Usually around 50% on shipped eggs.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I would get the poults.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Shipping poults puts alot of stress on the little guys. Look back at the posts last spring and read how many people had shipped poults dropping dead one by one. Shipped eggs does take a toll on hatchability but I think it's one of those "only the strongest survive". Think about it, the most viable embyo's make it to hatch. The stronger your flock the better.

Steve

 

[GBov]

Will a chicken egg turner work for turkey eggs?

 

[49erjohns]

Get the poults. never had any problem with shipped poults. had a lot of problems with shipped hatching eggs...good luck JOHN

 

[Tunastopper]

Last year I bought eggs from different people. I put half under broody hens and half in my incubator. Out of 5 dozen eggs, I got 3 poults. 90% never even started to develop. I think they were damaged in the mail because there air cells where broken and they looked scrambled when you broke them open. Yuck! It was very expensive poults but if you only want a few this is the way to go. I have never had problems buying poults or hatching my own eggs.

 

[bigdawg]

Quote:
i use my gqf chicken turner for turkeys. it wont hold as many. you have to skip ever other hole or they will touch. i think 20 is the most i have ever done at once........

 

[ColbyNTX]

I did buy larger egg holders for my GQF and Dickey's bators for duck and turkey eggs. I didn't trust the chicken egg turner just because it tilts so much in the turner. The turkey egg tray holds 20 eggs. If you call Mr. Dickey at Dickeys Incubators, he will hook you up! Once you hatch and raise some turkeys, you will be hooked!