Help - mama turkey died while sitting on eggs

[carlaashdown]

We had a wild turkey sitting on eggs in our field. Something got her today. I have a Nuture Right 360 but have never incubated turkey eggs.

Any advice appreciated.

Update: they are protected in Georgia. Husband called our friend who is DNR. They were happy I have an incubator and thanked us for saving them and putting them in. Someone is going to call us tomorrow.

 

[BelovedBirds]

We had a wild turkey sitting on eggs in our field. Something got her today. I have a Nuture Right 360 but have never incubated turkey eggs.

Any advice appreciated.

I have a  feeling that wild turkeys are a protected species. Therefore it might be illegal to keep the eggs, even if the mama sadly died. Have you candled them yet to check for life?
Let me tag someone who might be able to correct me, or confirm this
@casportpony

 

[Yorkshire Coop]

Does this help? https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/migratory-bird-treaty-act.1369922/

 

[Ridgerunner]

You don't know how long she had been setting so I'd just follow chicken methods. I've hatched a turkey egg before, was no different.

It is probably illegal but you can call a game warden in Georgia and see what they have to say.

 

[BelovedBirds]

Does this help? https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/migratory-bird-treaty-act.1369922/

Yup! I'm correct in thinking they're a protected species, then?

 

[Krugerrand]

Does this help? https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/migratory-bird-treaty-act.1369922/

Drilling through those links:

I don't see wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) on the list:
https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-50/chapter-I/subchapter-B/part-10/subpart-B/section-10.13

 

[Krugerrand]

My question would by 'why?' Are you looking to hatch and release? I would think they would be 'sitting ducks' for predators, if you'll pardon the expression. Are you looking to hatch/raise/harvest?

 

[Krugerrand]

I have a  feeling that wild turkeys are a protected species. Therefore it might be illegal to keep the eggs, even if the mama sadly died. Have you candled them yet to check for life?
Let me tag someone who might be able to correct me, or confirm this
@casportpony

I don't see how they can be a federally protected species and still be allowed to be hunted, which certainly is allowed - albeit often with restrictions. But, that doesn't mean they can be hatched/raised legally .... I just don't know.

 

[BelovedBirds]

I don't see how they can be a federally protected species and still be allowed to be hunted, which certainly is allowed - albeit often with restrictions. But, that doesn't mean they can be hatched/raised legally .... I just don't know.

I'm not sure, I'm fairly sure I've heard before that they're illegal to raise/keep- but that may just be certain areas.

 

[Krugerrand]

FYI, here's some info when it came up 11 years ago:
https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/eastern-wild-turkeys-in-captivity.672615/

Sounds like, at the time, the rules varied by state. Some folks on the forum have pet raccoons. I bet they might know more.