Need info on natural hatching etc

[chickensam]

Hi!
I have a royal palm tom and Narragansett hen. They’re healthy and happy. They have a predator proof covered coop and a run. first time proud Turkey mom! I love them.

so many questions!
-I want to let them free range. So they’re already flown away once. Do I clip their wings? So far only the hen can fly that well.

-I’ve read a need a nesting box on the ground. Will the other chickens bother her? They don’t IH now.

-If I wanted some eggs can I take any? Or best to assume they’re fertilized and let her create her clutch?

-And then she just sit on them for 28 days? Will the Tom bug her?

-can I literally just let them do their thing naturally or do I need to step in?? I realize without incubating I’m giving up control. Do I need to separate her and poults from others until their immune systems are strong?? Best way to do that??

what else do I need to know??

thank you!

 

[R2elk]

-I want to let them free range. So they’re already flown away once. Do I clip their wings? So far only the hen can fly that well.

How big is the run that you have them in? How long have you had them?

-I’ve read a need a nesting box on the ground. Will the other chickens bother her? They don’t IH now.

A turkey nest can be as simple as a pallet or wide boards leaned against a wall. Some people have given their turkey hens large totes for nests, others have made over sized chicken type nest boxes.

It is likely that some of the chickens will try to lay their eggs in the turkey nest. At least my chickens seem to be fascinated by the bigger eggs. Others have had their turkey hens crawl in on top of a chicken on its nest.

-If I wanted some eggs can I take any? Or best to assume they’re fertilized and let her create her clutch?

You can take eggs, just make sure that you at least leave some fake eggs in the nest. Turkey hens normally don't like their nests being messed with and will often abandon a nest if their eggs are all gone. They will seek out a new nest site which in their opinion is better ( more hidden), not necessarily safer.

If you want to be sure you can find the nest, do not free range the hen during laying season.

-And then she just sit on them for 28 days? Will the Tom bug her?

The vast majority of turkey hens will go broody and hatch their eggs without any assistance.

Toms should not be allowed access to the hen whenever the hen is on the nest. One of the easiest ways to control this is to make an enclosure around the nest area with an entrance that is big enough for the hen to get through but small enough that the tom can't get through it.

Toms can and do take a hen sitting on a nest as an invitation to breed. These unwanted breeding attempts can result in broken eggs, and injured hen or in the worst case, a dead hen.

-can I literally just let them do their thing naturally or do I need to step in?? I realize without incubating I’m giving up control. Do I need to separate her and poults from others until their immune systems are strong?? Best way to do that??

You can let them do their thing.

There are so many things that can go wrong with newly hatched poults in the general population that I don't let the hen in the general population until the poults are at least two weeks old.

I normally remove poults as soon as they are dry and put them in a brooder. It is much easier to show and sell poults from a brooder than it is to if they are hidden under a turkey hen.

They are also not in danger of getting stepped on or harmed by other flock members.

When I have the space available, I have let a hen keep her poults in my grow out pen Once they are at least two weeks old, I will let her take them on supervised visits to the rest of the flock.

A hen with new poults can be vicious in her attacks on other flock members that she sees as a threat to her poults.

Some toms can seem to be doting fathers. Others can be just the opposite.

 

[yesterDAYNE]

-I want to let them free range. So they’re already flown away once. Do I clip their wings? So far only the hen can fly that well.

If you're afraid of them flying out or anything, you can clip one wing and that usually does the job. You can clip both if you want, but 1 wing seems fine for all of my turkeys and I don't want to do both if I don't have to, haha. I don't have to clip my tom's wings anymore because he's too heavy to fly up and out and just doesn't seem interested. I personally am not comfortable with my birds roosting in trees or on the roof of the house or any other thing they can roost on, and like them secure in a big pen at night, so I keep my girl's wings clipped and don't have any issues unless their flight feathers start growing back in.

 

[cgmccary]

Hi!
I have a royal palm tom and Narragansett hen. They’re healthy and happy. They have a predator proof covered coop and a run. first time proud Turkey mom! I love them.

so many questions!
-I want to let them free range. So they’re already flown away once. Do I clip their wings? So far only the hen can fly that well. No, do not clip if free ranging. I free range my turkeys 24/7. They need their wings.

-I’ve read a need a nesting box on the ground. Will the other chickens bother her? They don’t IH now. My turkey hens will often hide their nests. If I find them, I remove and store their eggs properly and when they go broody, give them their eggs in their own secluded pen with nest box. Many times, my hens have hidden, hatched and show up with poults.

-If I wanted some eggs can I take any? Or best to assume they’re fertilized and let her create her clutch? either way, but I prefer to remove & give back when she is ready.

-And then she just sit on them for 28 days? Will the Tom bug her? Likely the tom will bother her. She needs her own private, protected, secluded, safe space.

-can I literally just let them do their thing naturally or do I need to step in?? I realize without incubating I’m giving up control. Do I need to separate her and poults from others until their immune systems are strong?? Best way to do that?? Separate her & poults in their own pen is best.

what else do I need to know??

thank you!

 

[chickensam]

Thank you!!!!

 

[chickensam]

How big is the run that you have them in? How long have you had them?

A turkey nest can be as simple as a pallet or wide boards leaned against a wall. Some people have given their turkey hens large totes for nests, others have made over sized chicken type nest boxes.

It is likely that some of the chickens will try to lay their eggs in the turkey nest. At least my chickens seem to be fascinated by the bigger eggs. Others have had their turkey hens crawl in on top of a chicken on its nest.

You can take eggs, just make sure that you at least leave some fake eggs in the nest. Turkey hens normally don't like their nests being messed with and will often abandon a nest if their eggs are all gone. They will seek out a new nest site which in their opinion is better ( more hidden), not necessarily safer.

If you want to be sure you can find the nest, do not free range the hen during laying season.

The vast majority of turkey hens will go broody and hatch their eggs without any assistance.

Toms should not be allowed access to the hen whenever the hen is on the nest. One of the easiest ways to control this is to make an enclosure around the nest area with an entrance that is big enough for the hen to get through but small enough that the tom can't get through it.

Toms can and do take a hen sitting on a nest as an invitation to breed. These unwanted breeding attempts can result in broken eggs, and injured hen or in the worst case, a dead hen.

You can let them do their thing.

There are so many things that can go wrong with newly hatched poults in the general population that I don't let the hen in the general population until the poults are at least two weeks old.

I normally remove poults as soon as they are dry and put them in a brooder. It is much easier to show and sell poults from a brooder than it is to if they are hidden under a turkey hen.

They are also not in danger of getting stepped on or harmed by other flock members.

When I have the space available, I have let a hen keep her poults in my grow out pen Once they are at least two weeks old, I will let her take them on supervised visits to the rest of the flock.

A hen with new poults can be vicious in her attacks on other flock members that she sees as a threat to her poults.

Some toms can seem to be doting fathers. Others can be just the opposite.

I realize this is an old thread! I'm revisiting this advice now that they are mature and mating. It is VERY clear she wants a nest, so we are making her one this weekend.

Honestly I'm scared that if I let her do all the mothering I'll go out one day and see dead poults. They seem so fragile! Not like chicken chicks that are robust.

Are these my next steps?:
-Create nest that only she can get in. Predator proof, away from chickens and Tom.
-Keep nest dry and clean.
-Will she come out to open yard to hang out with tom still? (She's not even laying eggs yet)
-Put food and water near her nest once she is broody.
-Let her lay and take care of eggs (do I need to do anything?)
-When they hatch, once dry, take away and put in brooder?
-What is a grow out pen? At what point can she be with them? Can I have her WITH them in a safe place?
-Weeks later let her go out in yard with them.