Help with hatching turkeys

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Hi. Five days ago we picked up heritage turkey eggs from someone about 2 hours away. She told me the hen was sitting on them for a while and they would hatch soon, and that she didn’t want them. I wanted to wait and just pick up the chicks…since they were so close to hatch, but she wanted to have the eggs gone instead and not deal with the baby chicks. When we arrived, She took them from under the hen and told me she had candled them the night before and most were ready to hatch. She suggested I put them on lockdown when i get home. There were about 18 eggs. I took them home…keeping them warm with a heating pad in a styrofoam cooler…and candled them right away. Several (about 13) looked full in the shell, so I put them on lockdown at 99.5 degrees and about 75% humidity 5 days ago. The other few I put in the incubator (they only looked about 1/2-3/4 full in the shell) at 99.5 degrees and about 55% humidity the same day. I candled one of those again yesterday and it appeared it was fuller in the shell…but I can’t be sure. And I can tell from the smell from the incubator vents that not all have made it. In fact, I could smell that right away when we put the eggs in the cooler and into the car. I need help…advice. I have hatched chicks before, but never turkeys and never in such an uncontrolled way. I really want them to hatch and be ok, but nothing has even pipped. I can’t imagine that out of 18 none will hatch. How long do I leave them in lockdown now? When do I move the ones in the ‘not’ lockdown incubator to lockdown? I don’t want to be impatient with this. I appreciate ANY suggestions to save these little ones. Thanks so much.

Turkey eggs are much more sensitive to fluctuations in position, humidity, and temperature than most other poultry eggs. There is a chance that none of them will hatch--it was a terrible idea for her to sell you 18 incubated eggs. Prepare yourself for the worst--they may not hatch. But it will be a wonderful surprise if they do. Keep us updated.

 

[PolloGal]

Turkey eggs are much more sensitive to fluctuations in position, humidity, and temperature than most other poultry eggs. There is a chance that none of them will hatch--it was a terrible idea for her to sell you 18 incubated eggs. Prepare yourself for the worst--they may not hatch. But it will be a wonderful surprise if they do. Keep us updated.

Thanks. Was hoping for a little more information though, about what the egg photos I sent looked like to an experienced eye and maybe some instruction about best way to proceed. Newbie here.

 

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Thanks. Was hoping for a little more information though, about what the egg photos I sent looked like to an experienced eye and maybe some instruction about best way to proceed. Newbie here.

In my experience, turkey eggs that are infertile and later on rotten have more of a greenish or grey tint to the shell when candled. at least one of those eggs looks potentially rotten, which would be the cause of a concerning smell. I wouldn't throw it out yet, just in case, but keep it sperate from the other egg in the incubator to make sure no potential bacteria spreads.

 

[Kiki]

@Kiki can you post some pics of internal pips?

No way Jose!








Hold. Coming right up.

 

[Kiki]

First 2 pics are the incubator at 55% humidity. Last 3 pics are from 75%ish incubator. I read about internal pips. Not sure I would recognize that…but didn’t see it.

This is an internal pip. They are usually quite obvious.
Clear movement inside the air cell.

 

[Kiki]

First 2 pics are the incubator at 55% humidity. Last 3 pics are from 75%ish incubator. I read about internal pips. Not sure I would recognize that…but didn’t see it.

These don't look like they are ready for hatching time.

What day are you on?

 

[Kiki]

Hi. Five days ago we picked up heritage turkey eggs from someone about 2 hours away. She told me the hen was sitting on them for a while and they would hatch soon, and that she didn’t want them. I wanted to wait and just pick up the chicks…since they were so close to hatch, but she wanted to have the eggs gone instead and not deal with the baby chicks. When we arrived, She took them from under the hen and told me she had candled them the night before and most were ready to hatch. She suggested I put them on lockdown when i get home. There were about 18 eggs. I took them home…keeping them warm with a heating pad in a styrofoam cooler…and candled them right away. Several (about 13) looked full in the shell, so I put them on lockdown at 99.5 degrees and about 75% humidity 5 days ago. The other few I put in the incubator (they only looked about 1/2-3/4 full in the shell) at 99.5 degrees and about 55% humidity the same day. I candled one of those again yesterday and it appeared it was fuller in the shell…but I can’t be sure. And I can tell from the smell from the incubator vents that not all have made it. In fact, I could smell that right away when we put the eggs in the cooler and into the car. I need help…advice. I have hatched chicks before, but never turkeys and never in such an uncontrolled way. I really want them to hatch and be ok, but nothing has even pipped. I can’t imagine that out of 18 none will hatch. How long do I leave them in lockdown now? When do I move the ones in the ‘not’ lockdown incubator to lockdown? I don’t want to be impatient with this. I appreciate ANY suggestions to save these little ones. Thanks so much.

Oh man don't ever buy anything from this ,#@?!+& again. What a horrible thing for her to do to you.


I am so sorry.

 

[PolloGal]

This is an internal pip. They are usually quite obvious.
Clear movement inside the air cell.

Oh wow…thank you for posting that. I looked a lot online, but didn’t fiind anything so clear.

 

[PolloGal]

These don't look like they are ready for hatching time.

What day are you on?

Not sure…the woman just told me she knew the hen sat on them for a long time and that they seemed ready (when she candled) to hatch. But, they are 5 days in my incubators.

 

[Kiki]

Oh wow…thank you for posting that. I looked a lot online, but didn’t fiind anything so clear.

Dig through my YouTube channel and you should see more.