How long does a turkey/chicken need to sit on an egg before it has to be incubated?

[Metamech]

I've searched and searched the Internet (I'm normally a search ninja) but I can't find any information on this. I'm getting about 3 eggs from my bourbon red turkeys a day but would like to get about 12 eggs together before I incubate. My problem is that they are immediately broody with their eggs, even with only 1 or 2.

So...how long do they have to sit on the eggs before they must be incubated? As soon as they reach 99 degrees?

Thanks!

 

[WalnutHill]

If you want to collect them up and are afraid of a staggered hatch, you can swap the turkey eggs for chicken eggs until you've collected enough, then swap them back. Just leave a few chicken eggs in the nest to encourage the broody behavior.

 

[Egghead_Jr]

Are you asking if you can take eggs daily from your turkey to stock up then give them all to her at once to sit on? Yes. Just store them on your kitchen counter fat end up until you have what you need.

I don't think a few hours of them sitting on them will start the incubation but do collect as soon as possible.

 

[Metamech]

No, not trying to get my girls to do it (they had their chance last year), so I'm doing the incubator approach. I have about 40 eggs staggered right now and would love to have a larger group to move to my second incubator (as well as a little time for them to hatch between clutches).