Im new to Turkey keeping, and i need some advice

[jack1234567]

Hi

My Female turkey is on her own with 4 chickens. she has gone from laying 1 egg every 9 days to laying an egg a day. She does not sit on them in the day at the moment but if we go near to the house she makes these loud calls to try and distract us from the nest, she has 7 eggs in the nest at the moment and at night we watched her nuzzling the eggs under her breast ? I have read about virgin births with turkeys but how would I know these eggs are fertile or do turkeys do this every year when they are in season? she could have mated before I got her but I am not sure of this ??????????

regards jack

 

[Kessel23]

If she is free range she might have found a wild mate, I have seen domestic tom turkeys call in other toms and hens before, I am sure a wild tom could call her in if she has access to a forest and open field where she could find one. But most birds, like Muscovy Ducks and chickens, will set even infertile eggs.

Is she a Heritage breed? I don't think broad breasted can successfully hatch eggs anyways, if that's what she is it wont matter if they are fertile or not. Once she starts setting the eggs wait a few weeks and then go candle them.

 

[jack1234567]

she is a Jersey Buff turkey, ill wait and candle them after a few days to see what happens

 

[R2elk]

Hi

My Female turkey is on her own with 4 chickens. she has gone from laying 1 egg every 9 days to laying an egg a day. She does not sit on them in the day at the moment but if we go near to the house she makes these loud calls to try and distract us from the nest, she has 7 eggs in the nest at the moment and at night we watched her nuzzling the eggs under her breast ? I have read about virgin births with turkeys but how would I know these eggs are fertile or do turkeys do this every year when they are in season? she could have mated before I got her but I am not sure of this ??????????

regards jack

The odds of a non fertilized turkey egg hatching are about zero. The study that was done proved that it is possible and they specifically bred Beltsville Small Whites to improve the odds of eggs hatching due to parthenogenesis. Even breeding specifically for the trait, the vast majority of eggs that started developing failed to hatch.

Turkeys will lay in season every year and depending on the hen will most likely go broody every year but it has nothing to do with whether or not the eggs are fertile. You can quickly determine if the eggs are fertile by sacrificing an egg or two and checking for the bulls eye on the yolk. If the bulls eye is present, the egg is fertile, no bulls eye = not fertile.