New to incubating Bourbon Red turkey eggs

[PrettyBirdRocky]

Few questions, and I'll try to keep it simple to follow lol

My friend has a red bourbon turkey who is laying eggs and she'd like me to try to incubate them. I did some chicken eggs for her last year, no issues in a broody lol

I've tried to scour the site for information and am having issues.

1) time of incubation?
One says 28, somewhere said 30?

2) temperature/humidity
Have read 99.5 for forced air and 50, but to drop to 30 during lockdown?

(Which when is lockdown?)

3) I have a 12 egg kebonnix incubator with auto rotater. got for this past holiday season, haven't used it but have test ran it, can change days and temp.

4) anything else other than it's a crapshoot? Lol

Thank you!!!

 

[casportpony]

1) time of incubation?
One says 28, somewhere said 30?

28 days

2) temperature/humidity
Have read 99.5 for forced air and 50, but to drop to 30 during lockdown?

99.5 - I would do 45% humidity for the first 25 days, then 65-70% for the last three days.

@R2elk might have some suggestions.

 

[R2elk]

1) time of incubation?
One says 28, somewhere said 30?

Normal is 28 days. Mine tend to hatch on day 27.

2) temperature/humidity
Have read 99.5 for forced air and 50, but to drop to 30 during lockdown?

30 t0 40% humidity during incubation. Raise to 65% to 70% for lockdown.

(Which when is lockdown?)

Day 25.

Make sure you check the temperature with a calibrated thermometer. Use a salt calibrated hygrometer to check the humidity.

Run the incubator with the vents open. To increase the humidity, increase the surface area of the water. To decrease the humidity, decrease the surface area of the water.

FYI, they are Bourbon Reds.

 

[Huntmaster]

I run 99.5-100 for temps and 50% humidity for first 24 days then lockdown at 70 to 75%

 

[R2elk]

I would do 45% humidity for the first 25 days

I would not go that high with the humidity during the incubation phase.

If a person wants to be hands on, check egg weights for weight loss and adjust humidity accordingly.

 

[Huntmaster]

Normal is 28 days. Mine tend to hatch on day 27.

This is why I started lockdown on day 24, as I have so many hatch early also. I have also found those that do hatch early are very robust.

 

[R2elk]

This is why I started lockdown on day 24, as I have so many hatch early also. I have also found those that do hatch early are very robust.

I lock down on day 25. I even lock down on day 25 for guiinea eggs which can start hatching on day 26.

 

[R2elk]

This is why I started lockdown on day 24, as I have so many hatch early also. I have also found those that do hatch early are very robust.

I know a woman who didn't move any eggs to lock down until they were internally pipped. It worked good for her.

 

[casportpony]

I know a woman who didn't move any eggs to lock down until they were internally pipped. It worked good for her.

Sometimes I do that.

 

[PrettyBirdRocky]

Thank you all! If she finds more over next couple days I'll share how the journey goes!