Hatching turkeys. What temps/ humidity do i use.

[guineafowlguy]

I am going to fill my cabinet incubator with turkeys. There will be about 100.

I know they are similar to chickens but not exact.

What do have you found to be the best humidity while incubating.

Than humidity while hatching.

And temps.

Thanks

 

[sandspoultry]

I use a GQF Sportsman and the temp runs just about at 100F. The humidity I honestly couldn't tell you what that runs at. We have the auto water attachment and I just keep it full. I used to put the humidity sponges in when they stopped turning but the last few years I haven't used them and the hatches are just as good. We do staggered hatches about 1 tray a week so i'm sure the humidity is all over the place. The only thing extra I do now is if I open the door to take out chicks or poults is I use a spray bottle and give 6 or 8 sprays all around the inside so the other eggs don't "shrink wrap" as they hatch.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I have always set at 99.9 temps and 40 humidity.

 

[guineafowlguy]

Do you use 40% when hatching too? That sounds really low. Could i bump it up to 60% when hatching?

Thanks.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Do you use 40% when hatching too?   That sounds really low.    Could i bump it up to 60% when hatching?

Thanks.

Yes, I still keep it at 40 when hatching do but that's just me. A lot of people bump it up and I'm sure they will be just fine. Porter's mentions 60, so they are the experts, so 60 is good. Keep us posted.

 

[guineafowlguy]

Yes i will keep you posted

I am supposed to get the eggs in about a week i will have 6 doz red bourbons and i hope 2 doz blue slate. I was hoping for some royal palm's but no one has any yet.


The last few peeps hatched today so i will clean the bator and get it ready.

Hopefully this batch of turkeys will pay off my bator. I paid the big $$$ for it

Ether that or it will pay for all the chick feed i have been using.

By the way i heard that turkeys poults are not the brightest things out there. They said i had to put chicks in too so they can learn to eat so they don't starve.

Is that true? What are some after they hatch tips. I have only hatched chickens so far.


Thanks

 

[guineafowlguy]

Well 8 doz turkeys turned into 3.

I guess the turkeys would not cooperate.

She said she had plenty of chicken eggs of various breeds to make up for the rest of the incubator.

So i got 8 doz chickens for a total of 11 doz.

So my bator is full.

I set the temps to 99.6 and humidity to 40%

Is that good enough for both breeds? I don't want to cook my chicks so i put it to 99.6. Is 40% ok for hatching chicks?


What do you think. Do i need to change anything?


Thanks


Edit: Turkeys and chickens hatch at different days. I would normally stop the turner for the chicks but wont the turkeys still need to be turned?

 

[R2elk]

Edit: Turkeys and chickens hatch at different days. I would normally stop the turner for the chicks but wont the turkeys still need to be turned?

When hatching turkey or guinea eggs (28 days) and chicken eggs (21 days) at the same time, it is advisable to add the chicken eggs 7 days after the turkey or guinea eggs. When you reach 18 days for your chicken eggs, move them to the hatching tray and leave the turkey eggs in the turner (on) until day 25 at which time you can then move the turkey eggs to the hatching tray.

Good luck.

I will be setting turkey eggs today and adding chicken eggs next Saturday.

 

[aragia]

Sorry to hijack someone else's thread... just didn't want to start a new one for one question.

Are there any concerns about hatching turkeys and chickens together? I have been told they can't live together fully grown because they pass disease, but do I need to worry about this if I hatch or brood them together?

 

[R2elk]

Sorry to hijack someone else's thread... just didn't want to start a new one for one question.

Are there any concerns about hatching turkeys and chickens together? I have been told they can't live together fully grown because they pass disease, but do I need to worry about this if I hatch or brood them together?

The most common reason that I see posted for not raising chickens and turkeys together is because of blackhead. Blackhead is transmitted from the chickens to the turkeys by a protozoan.

http://www.thepoultrysite.com/diseaseinfo/74/histamonosis-histomoniasis-blackhead

Blackhead is not prevalent everywhere. Contact your local agriculture extension agent to learn if it is a problem in your area. I do not have a problem where I live and I routinely incubate, brood and raise chickens and turkeys together with no ill effects.

If blackhead is an issue where you live, brooding and raising chickens together is not advisable. The younger the turkeys are, the more susceptible they are to the disease.