If an egg is lost will the turkey hen try to find it?

[Lob21]

So I had 2 eggs yesterday and now there is one. I'm thinking a racoon or snake might have taken it. My hen looks like shes looking for something. I can attach a picture. She is pacing back and forth against the wall and sometimes laying down.

 

[nchls school]

I only have my turkeys to go by and mine would not miss an egg that had gone missing. They don't seem to notice when all the eggs are gone from a predator and stupidly continue to lay eggs in the same spot. I collect eggs to save them from predators and replace them with dummy eggs. What you say...you have no dummy eggs...then use burned out light bulbs. Turkey hens will go broody on light bulbs just as quickly as real eggs. When they go broody, if necessary, I move the nest, eggs, and hen to a safe location. A couple times we moved the hen to our whirlpool tub when she started nesting when temperatures were freezing.

 

[Lob21]

@nchls school oh ok nice, so how does she act when she needs to lay an egg? I think my hen might have been looking for a spot to lay then.

 

[nchls school]

Secretive, sneaking off by themselves, Often with a plaintive call. Kind of like what you described. Where are you in the world?? If it's daytime there you might want to give the hen a good nest container. Putting an egg in it may induce the hen to use the nest.

 

[Lob21]

@nchls school I live in Texas! So it is nighttime now and I had the urge to go outside and check on the eggs. There was one broken outside the "nest" and my dad found one hidden underneath the hay so now we have 1 official viable egg but 2 physical ones. We think she laid the one in the nest a few hours ago. Spooky

 

[nchls school]

I have predator problems, too, with the turkey eggs being eaten. Consider collecting fresh eggs and replacing them as they are collected with dummy eggs. Once the hen goes broody a cage can be placed over the nest or the nest can be moved to a cage where it will be safe. Turkey hens seem to accept the nest being moved as long as they are unable to return to the original nest site. When I find a nest out in the wood lot or other dangerous area I place the nest in a low plastic tub (drill holes in the bottom) of the appropriate size and leave it where the nest was. Once the hen starts brooding it is a simple matter to lift tub, nest, and hen and move her to safe quarters. My turkeys are tame and used to being handled.