First Time Incubating and Hatching Eggs...Chicken & Turkey!

[katiem104]

Hi Everyone! I have been reading through these forums for about a month now & have learned so much but am also still very confused with much of this process! There is much more too it then any of us here expected!!

I have a standard bronze turkey sitting on about a dozen eggs. As well as Bourbon Reds and Rhode Island Reds in the incubator (which I have borrowed from a friend of mine).

I have read that a broody turkey will not hatch all the eggs and I am wondering what I do when her chicks begin to hatch? Do I then pick up the eggs that are left and stick them in the incubator? I attempted to pull some of her eggs originally and she was not happy and hissed so I have left her alone since then (her chicks should be due around 4/25). Also I still have the male with her (hoping his pen is ready tomorrow). Is there any reason I should leave the male with her?

I set the Bourbon reds & Rhode Island reds on 4/7 and suspect the Rhode Islands to hatch on 4/27 and Bourbons on 5/4. I candled some of the eggs today (I know typically too soon) and noticed what I believe is the air cell. I did not see anything that looked like veins (I was using a flashlight so I dont know if that affected it as well). How often do I typically need to check the eggs? & should I check again in a few days?

I have also seen that some people take the egg turner out of the incubator a few days before hatch. Is this something that has to be done? I am wondering what I should do since the chickens are due a week before the turkeys???

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

 

[katiem104]

bump

 

[katiem104]

bump

 

[WalnutHill]

Hi Everyone! I have been reading through these forums for about a month now & have learned so much but am also still very confused with much of this process! There is much more too it then any of us here expected!!

I have a standard bronze turkey sitting on about a dozen eggs. As well as Bourbon Reds and Rhode Island Reds in the incubator (which I have borrowed from a friend of mine).

I have read that a broody turkey will not hatch all the eggs and I am wondering what I do when her chicks begin to hatch? Do I then pick up the eggs that are left and stick them in the incubator? I attempted to pull some of her eggs originally and she was not happy and hissed so I have left her alone since then (her chicks should be due around 4/25). Also I still have the male with her (hoping his pen is ready tomorrow). Is there any reason I should leave the male with her?

I set the Bourbon reds & Rhode Island reds on 4/7 and suspect the Rhode Islands to hatch on 4/27 and Bourbons on 5/4. I candled some of the eggs today (I know typically too soon) and noticed what I believe is the air cell. I did not see anything that looked like veins (I was using a flashlight so I dont know if that affected it as well). How often do I typically need to check the eggs? & should I check again in a few days?

I have also seen that some people take the egg turner out of the incubator a few days before hatch. Is this something that has to be done? I am wondering what I should do since the chickens are due a week before the turkeys???

Any help is greatly appreciated!!

A broody turkey or hen WILL hatch all the eggs she can cover during incubation. The exact number depends on how hard the broody works and how big she is and how big the eggs are. For a turkey, though, a dozen eggs should be no issue.

If there are infertile eggs, naturally they won't hatch, and once all the eggs that will hatch on their own hatch, she will often move the brood off the nest. So if there are eggs that were added to the nest after she began spending all her time on the nest, those will likely not be hatched. You can gather them up, candle them, and pop into your incubator to finish.

I would not leave the tom with her. Unless you know that he's poult-safe, consider him a threat unless removing him stresses the hen too much. If the hen hisses and he keeps his distance, she may be able to handle having him around and still keep the youngsters safe.

You don't need to candle the eggs in the nest, especially if it upsets the hen. In the incubator, I usually candle at 10-12 days, at 17-18 days, and at lockdown. Or when I have the incubator open and want to check air cells, or just to take a peek at the growing babies.

Yes, you have to take the eggs out of the turner for the last three days of incubation, and not turn them after that. So if you have chicken and turkey eggs in a single incubator, you need to remove all of them from the turner, and turn the turkey eggs by hand a few times a day until the first chicken egg pips. Then stop turning the turkey eggs for a day or so until the chicken eggs hatch out, then turn the turkey eggs again for a few days until they are three days before hatch.