Help, I've created a monster turkey!

[Gorman Farm]

You can candle turkey eggs same as chicken eggs

 

[R2elk]

I've been ruffling her feathers like the chickens when they squat; great, I made her think I was in love too!

I definitely haven't seen any of that, but I've been locking them in the last couple of weeks, and there's a strange looking pile of feathers that match the scruff missing off her neck

But now I can't quite tell if the eggs are fertile or not....

They really are unique. I'd always heard about how they were so dumb they would drown in the rain (not true) and that they were dangerously vicious. Well, the Tom chases my youngest, but she's also guilty of teasing him and running away which just makes him chase her. I'm thinking we might butcher him just so we don't have to worry about it. He's walking the line

That looks like a fertile egg to me.

 

[shortgrass]

You can candle turkey eggs same as chicken eggs

I'll have to wait until a hen goes broody; I have 2 eggs saved for that, so as soon as I get a warm fluffy mama to set, I'll be able to candle them

That looks like a fertile egg to me.

Cool! I wasn't sure but I was hopeful

Poor Tom probably isn't going to be so happy about it, that means he no longer has a purpose in life other than dinner.....

 

[shortgrass]

Well, turkey behavior specialists... What does it mean when the hen hates the Tom and runs away from him weeeeing all the way home?

Weewee literally took off running from him the other day, making a horrible screaming sound and I had to run to catch up with her and get her back to the house... She's also running from me, which is highly unusual, and won't come sit by me.

She's laid 8 eggs so far, all in one nest. I removed 6 but left dummy eggs in their place, hoping to leave her 4 eggs of her own to brood. I've read they're horrible mothers their first year, so I'm cautious.


But what's going on with her attitude? Is she in "mommy" mode now?


Oh, also, how long does one mating last as far as fertilizing eggs? Do they have to keep mating while the egg laying is going on so they stay fertile, or can I whack Tom? He went after my youngest daughter the other day, so he has met the end of his usefulness here unfortunately for him Don't want to but I'm doing it for her. She wants him to go in the freezer.

And go figure. No broody chickens yet, so I can't candle the eggs yet

 

[Gorman Farm]

Well, turkey behavior specialists... What does it mean when the hen hates the Tom and runs away from him weeeeing all the way home?

Weewee literally took off running from him the other day, making a horrible screaming sound and I had to run to catch up with her and get her back to the house... She's also running from me, which is highly unusual, and won't come sit by me.

She's laid 8 eggs so far, all in one nest. I removed 6 but left dummy eggs in their place, hoping to leave her 4 eggs of her own to brood. I've read they're horrible mothers their first year, so I'm cautious.


But what's going on with her attitude? Is she in "mommy" mode now?


Oh, also, how long does one mating last as far as fertilizing eggs? Do they have to keep mating while the egg laying is going on so they stay fertile, or can I whack Tom? He went after my youngest daughter the other day, so he has met the end of his usefulness here unfortunately for him

Don't want to but I'm doing it for her. She wants him to go in the freezer.

And go figure. No broody chickens yet, so I can't candle the eggs yet

Your turkey hen will stay fertile for about 2-3 weeks after she is bred by the Tom. She may be running from him because he is overbreeding her since she is the only hen. It is hard on the hens that dance they do on their back. She is probably just hormonal.

 

[feedman77]

In theory if you don't let your hen go broody the there is a possibility that she will remain fertile for an entire laying season after a successful mating.

If they go broody the chemical and hormonal change will nullify the mating.

 

[Gorman Farm]

In theory if you don't let your hen go broody the there is a possibility that she will remain fertile for an entire laying season after a successful mating.

If they go broody the chemical and hormonal change will nullify the mating.

I was speaking specifically on how long one breeding by the Tom would keep the hen laying fertile eggs. If you allow her to produce & sit on a clutch, she will stop laying and sit on the eggs.
Personally I take the eggs and incubate, so my hens stay with the Tom, and continue to lay, and he continues to breed them in all spring.
The danger with having only one hen and one Tom, is that he can over-breed her.

 

[feedman77]

I was speaking specifically on how long one breeding by the Tom would keep the hen laying fertile eggs. If you allow her to produce & sit on a clutch, she will stop laying and sit on the eggs. 
Personally I take the eggs and incubate, so my hens stay with the Tom, and continue to lay, and he continues to breed them in all spring.
The danger with having only one hen and one Tom, is that he can over-breed her.

Yep. But one successful mating if the hen never is allowed to brood she can stay fertile the entire season. Longer than 2 or 3 weeks.

I only let my hens go broody if I want to slow down egg production.

I generally try to keep 1 tom to 4 hens and unless brooding they are together the entire time.

 

[Gorman Farm]

Hmm, my vet told me that after 3 weeks the eggs become less viable unless the hen is bred again, one breeding can keep her fertile for some time but not indefinitely, and probably not after 4 or 5 weeks without being bred again.

 

[feedman77]

I read the hen actually has the ability to store the sperm. It's a throw back to wild turkeys where they can redo a nest in case the one they are starting to set on is destroyed.

I have never tested the theory but I might this year with a couple of hens to see how long they can lay fertile eggs. After I remove the tom.

Sounds like a good experiment. Won't have anything to lose.