How to manage broody turkey hens

[Huntmaster]

If you put them in their covered pen and make them a nesting area with a dummy egg that gives them privacy and they feel safe they will usually take to that nest. You can lean a pallet or something against a wall that will keep your tom from being able to access nest or hen on nest. I use dog houses for my nesting boxes the toms are too big to enter and that works well for me. I have the dog houses in their outdoor breeding pens but all my breeding pens are covered. A pic of what works for me. @SarahGfa

 

[Huntmaster]

If you put them in their covered pen and make them a nesting area with a dummy egg that gives them privacy and they feel safe they will usually take to that nest. You can lean a pallet or something against a wall that will keep your tom from being able to access nest or hen on nest. I use dog houses for my nesting boxes the toms are too big to enter and that works well for me. I have the dog houses in their outdoor breeding pens but all my breeding pens are covered. A pic of what works for me. @SarahGfa View attachment 3365862View attachment 3365865View attachment 3365867

If this is done and they take to that nest you should still be able to let them into there fenced area without them escaping to nest. They should then use nest in covered pen or in fenced in area wherever you make their nest. Is the covered pen attached to the fenced in area?

 

[Molpet]

What is the purpose of the marked egg?

so,.... does this mean it is impossible to control turkey breeding other than to keep the hens in a covered pen for half the year?

I date the egg so I know which one it is and can replace it monthly so it doesn't go bad. I sell fresh eggs for hatching and eating.

Most of mine stay in the poultry yard if they find a spot they like to lay eggs.. I had a couple that kept flying over. I sold one as an escape artist.
I clipped a wing on one I could catch. She would climb the fence beating her wings getting out. Eventually she gave up when a preferred nest box opened up and nested in the coop.
One nested somewhere I couldn't find and I figured she was coyote bait. But in the fall she came back alone. She jumped out this spring and nested against my house. I left her there but while the eggs developed they didn't hatch. So I gave her a couple developing chicken eggs that hatch in a couple days.

 

[Molpet]

A leaning quarter sheet of plywood works as a nest.

A narrow spot works too.

And Sometimes if they can't see you they think you can't see them.

 

[Huntmaster]

What is the purpose of the marked egg?

so,.... does this mean it is impossible to control turkey breeding other than to keep the hens in a covered pen for half the year?

If you do these things, you should be able to keep them all together and not locked up. But they sometimes have a mind of their own and didn't read the right book But these processes usually will work. If you have any questions don't be afraid to ask. Good Luck and let us know how it works out for you.

 

[SarahGfa]

Is the covered pen attached to the fenced in area?

Yes. It already has an empty coop in it. I will add some unfertilized turkey eggs and hope they start nesting in there!

I date the egg so I know which one it is and can replace it monthly so it doesn't go bad. I sell fresh eggs for hatching and eating.

is one egg enough to keep them coming back?

thank you for all the good ideas. i will give it a try. hopefully it will work better than last year when it was a nonstop search for hidden nests.

 

[R2elk]

is one egg enough to keep them coming back?

Normally one egg will work but I have found 2 fake eggs to work better than a single egg. I use ceramic goose eggs for my turkey hens.

 

[vawolfmom]

I have 5 hens. They are laying eggs in several areas. I have been picking them up since it is still winter here. Also they (and the toms) wont be a year old until end of March (does that matter?) If I leave the eggs alone, or gather them into one of the spots, what are the chances of one of the hens going broody?

 

[R2elk]

I have 5 hens. They are laying eggs in several areas. I have been picking them up since it is still winter here. Also they (and the toms) wont be a year old until end of March (does that matter?) If I leave the eggs alone, or gather them into one of the spots, what are the chances of one of the hens going broody?

Turkeys are sexually mature by 6 months. The problem with hens laying at this time of year in the northern hemisphere is the likelihood of the eggs freezing.

Some people collect the eggs and keep adding fake eggs to the nest until a hen goes broody and then swap in the real eggs at that time.

I collect the early eggs and put them in the incubator. I don't let the hens keep their eggs until most freeze danger is over.