Moma hen hatches Turkey egg.

[schlitch]

This is a forum I never thought I would make a post in. However a friend at work brought me an egg about 30 days ago and claimed it was a Turkey egg. It looked like one of those images I searched for via google. I just happen to have 2 laying hens, and 1 black australorp was setting on a golf ball of all things and had been for about 2 weeks. I'd never allowed her to actually attempt to hatch chicken eggs as they have been table fare. I didn't expect it to hatch, but it was the best chance it had. I left town last Saturday with it still not hatched, and we didn't know how long it had been since the original turkey mom had laid it, but expected a day or two. I spoke with my mom who was checking on the house ( I had someone else feeding and watering the hens and other new laying hens I got back in March), she mentioned there was some little chicken following the black hen around. I was speechless and now have this yearning to get back home to really check on it. I guess it is doing good, as she mentioned it was following her adopted moma all over the place. My flock is allowed to free range all day. So it either hatched sometime between last Saturday and Wednesday morning. I spoke with the wife of the friend caring for the hens and he had said nothing to her about it. So I just don't know the actual hatch date. Hope it is finding water and eating okay, because there isn't any close to the pen and no food really low enough for it. But since it free ranges maybe its doing just find with what its adopted moma helps it with. I don't know nothing about how that works hehe. I won't be back home until Sunday, and only hope it lives until then.

Has anyone else had this happen? And can anyone assure me it should be okay, barring any predators coming after it during the day. There is one older roo that is there and another hen that make up flock 1. The other flock of new chickens is 2 roos and 9 hens, but they pretty much stay on the run from the older ones.

 

[crazy4wdracer]

Good surprises are always good. Congrats on your new addition!

 

[Goose and Fig]

Never had a hen hatch a turkey- but I have raised chicks & a turkey together in the same coop. Turkey hens are sweet- just like one of the girls.

 

[schlitch]

I wonder how soon I'll be able to tell what it is Male/Female. I know nothing about Turkeys, but hope that it can be raised like the chicken and that it survives til I return home.

 

[schlitch]

Finally was able to grab a picture of it with its adoptive mother hen.

 

[chunky_ficken]

It looks happy and healthy.......congrats!

 

[schlitch]

Well my wife found it dead in the nest this past Tuesday afternoon. Not sure what happened or why it was back in the nest, other than the adoptive mom may have laid the egg we found in there too. I've been told not to touch them when they are little, like I do my chicks, and so I didn't. But I wonder if I should have took it and raised it in the brooder like my chicks.

 

[canny]

so sorry on your loss, i google and found out that a hen hatching a turkey hen is fine but as soon as they hatch you should take over and raise it by yourself as they sometime have to be force feed during the first few days.............wish i could have find this out earlier for you i'm so sorry

 

[Big Red's Mom]

Oh I am so sorry. I know it is always sad to loss a baby......
Well...we learn from every experience and living is Mississippi I am sure this will not be your last chance to deal with a little turkey.
Good luck next time.....