How do you stop a turkey hen from laying?

[tennesseered]

I raised up a pair of bourbon red turkeys this year. It is the first time in I've ever raised turkeys. When my hen got to be about 7 months old she started laying (around November). I've raised ornamentals, quail and chukars for many years, but like I said never turkeys. I'm a little concerned because she seems so small compared with her mate. She weighs around 10 to 12 pounds he weighs over 30. She has been laying about 5 eggs per week since the first of November. All through the winter, even with snow on the ground and near 0 temps. I'm afraid this is putting a lot of strain on her and I don't want her to get sick or egg-bound. Does anyone know a method to discourage a hen turkey from egg laying. The amount of light she gets doesn't seem to affect her egg production. Everyone else around her has told me their turkey hens don't lay in the winter. Any Ideas?

 

[kuntrygirl]

I'm no expert but I don't think that you can stop a hen from laying an egg. That is a natural act. What makes you think that she would get sick or egg bound? I have never heard of a hen getting sick from laying an egg, although hens can become egg bound. If you don't want her to lay eggs, you might want to trade her for a tom and then you definitely won't get any eggs. It doesn't sound like you want your turkeys to breed to lay eggs and hatch poults, so 2 toms may be your solution. What do you do with the eggs that she lays.

Well as far as hens laying in the winter, my hens lay year round. It is unusual but not impossible. I have a hen that is setting under eggs as we speak. She just hatched 1 poult and is setting on 2 more eggs. So it is not impossible for hens to lay during the winter. Probably not as common but still not impossible.

 

[Judy]

Just goes to show they're individuals, whether it's chickens, turkeys, ducks....

Short of surgery, you can't stop them from laying. Their machinery will do what it does. Well, I suppose you could induce a molt, or at least that works in chickens. Of course it's a WHOLE lot harder on them than laying eggs is.

 

[KOTurkeyRanch]

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Getting 2 toms would probably be bad..i could forsee alot of fights

 

[KatyTheChickenLady]

I have heard that people who show chickens give them chopped apples to cut back on their laying & improve their overall health/appearance. You might try that i don't see what it could hurt.

 

[tennesseered]

Thanks Katy,
I appreciate your sharing about apples. Might be there is some chemical or natural hormone which apples have. This little hen is a neat little bird. She follows me all around while I'm feeding my flock and loves to be petted and hand fed. I really don't want to lose her. I will give the apples a try. Hopefully she will stop and give her body a rest. Everyone in this part of the Tennessee tells me April is when turkeys start to lay. I have raised ornamental pheasants and game birds for 43 years and I know when they lay out of season it can be a sign of something wrong with their health and can cause a hen to become egg bound especially in cold weather. My vet has told me that he has experienced that as well. By the way Are you a long time Boise person? I Lived there from the 1974 till 1994. It was a great town.

 

[Randy]

There is a way but you're not going to like it. I was told this by a guy that raises commercial layers. When they want them to stop laying they retrict thier water.

 

[sunflowerenvy]

if you provent her from laying she might get egg bound so just put up with it and eat the eggs like u do when have the chickens

 

[kuntrygirl]

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I have to agree but that is just me.

 

[Wifezilla]

I think you will cause more problems by trying to stop her from laying.

Do you keep a light on in the coop? That would explain why she is laying out of season. Light levels determine when and if they lay.