How long should I wait before intervening?

callieisspooky

Songster
7 Years
Jul 18, 2012
166
5
101
Carmel Valley, CA
I have turkey eggs in an incubator which is now on day 0 (28 day gestation). How long would you wait before intervening? I've assisted a turkey hatch successfully in the past, and I know from the wiggling of the eggs that these guys are alive. I'm thinking I'll wait another day or two before opening up a hole in the air cell to check things out?

I'm not sure, but these may be half domestic, half wild (have a wild male hanging around), so maybe that changes the gestation a bit.

Any advice appreciated. Thanks!
 
If they start a hole and then stop you can assist.
Odds are they are to big or are starting to get shrink wrapped.
If they don't even start a hole and you go in with your own hole I have found a zero success rate.
 
So I got nervous at day 30 and opened one up. Enormous chick had pipped internally and had almost zero air cell space, so I'm glad I opened it up, even though I probably didn't need to. Used water and mineral oil to keep from shrink wrapping. Others have pipped externally and I'm waiting impatiently for action. These little guys are slow but coming!
 
Thank you! The babies have hatched, FINALLY, on day 32! All within about an hour of each other, amazingly. Eating and drinking already too. And pecking at each other's toes. Feisty little guys. Already in love <3
 
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I was nervous about the delay so I opened one up, and found he'd already pipped internally. I left the others alone and didn't help further. I used a Brinsea Mini Advance, manually turned them (because turkey eggs don't turn well due to their size, not meant for the Mini), and had the temp set at 99.8. I'm thinking it might need to go a bit higher. Or maybe the calibration is off. In any case, the little guys are a week old now and doing great, already flying and getting into everything.
 
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