Incubating turkeys - talk me out of my PANIC

[One Acre Wonder Farm]

I'm incubating a dozen shipped Narragansett turkey eggs that I set on Tuesday (6/23). I had a little bit of room in the bator so I added 3 of my own duck eggs (

). I candled yesterday and all 3 ducks are definitely developing. I candled tonight and the 3 ducks are about as big as a pencil eraser with veins everywhere. Out of the 12 turkey eggs I had possibly 2 developing. I am in a panic!!! I know it is early but the difference is UNMISTAKABLE. This is not my first hatch, I feel comfortable candling, that I can accurately guage what I am seeing...

Is it because they were shipped that they might be slow to develop?? What else could be happening??

Someone talk me down... tell me you've had eggs that didn't look like they were doing anything but magically developed.

I of course will leave them in as long as it take until I know for SURE that they were duds (probably till day 10-14 if they don't start to stink before then) but can someone make me feel better??

Thanks!!

 

[Buck Creek Chickens]

I never candle before day 10 because you might not 'see' the development before it, then you worry about it, its better for me not to know until the 10 day mark, it stops the headaches

 

[hinkjc]

I have never been able to see growth on day 5 in my wild turkey eggs - they appear clear on day 5, but by day 10-14 they have nice networks. I am what I consider a very experienced candler. The earliest I candle turkey eggs is day 10, but usually I wait until day 14 to be certain which aren't growing properly.

 

[nivtup]

WE incubate both ducks and turkeys (and anything else with a shell apparently)

Ducks show early, turkeys seem to take a while to get started. Panic early is a good strategy. Now that you have that out of the way, take a week, then check progress.

 

[One Acre Wonder Farm]

Phew! These are my first turkey eggs (can you tell

) and I am so relieved to hear they are just slow starters. The duck embryos are such monsters in comparison! If the ducks were not in there I guess I probably would not have freaked so easily!

I am taking deep breaths and will wait till much later in the week to check again.


Thank you!!

 

[taraann81]

I felt the same way as you and guess what? Right now as I type I have 4 poults in the incubator, 2 more turkey eggs partially zipped and and at least 4 more pipped! They hatch fast, WAY faster than ducks and even faster than any of the chickens I've ever hatched!

Good Luck

 

[One Acre Wonder Farm]

Oooh, congratulations Taraann!

The thought of a good hatch makes me giddy!! I am really looking forward to little poults!

 

[walkswithdog]

Glad they replied faster than I did. Yes, incubating turkey eggs the first time can just kill you dead with wondering.
They develop slowly and toward the very center of that wide egg. Little buggers are quite good at making you think they aren't there. So patience and here's hoping for you

Turkeys are just the best...

 

[One Acre Wonder Farm]

thanks walkswithdog!!

well, like a true addict I candled again tonight

I can see development in 3.

Some look totally clear, a couple maybe even scrambled? It makes me a little sickish to think I may only have 3 viable eggs out of a dozen. I could have driven to get them but it would have been a nearly 4 hour car ride round trip and I was afraid my kids couldn't take it... So I asked for the eggs to be shipped

I will, of course, check again maybe Wednesday night. I really really really really really want poults!!!!