ok got the addiction incubator will be here wed. Question about my Bourbon red eggs.

[vtfarmer]

We picked up 6 bourbon reds this summer which we had our first fresh turkey for thanksgiving. We like them so much we kept the others to try to breed - 1 tom and 4 hens (if i used the correct terms). Well for the last ten days someones been laying so we ordererd a hovator genissis which should arrive wednesday. We been collecting the eggs, keeping them cool and turning them several times a day so my question is will they be able to hatch ? Any info will be much appreciated.

 

[frank53061]

Sounds like you got it under control for the most part you know that Turkey eggs are harder to hatch than chickens eggs normally a lower hatch rate and the Poults are harder to keep alive its best to Baby the Poults longer than you would Chicks I did not let my Poults touch the ground till 12 or 15 weeks old and kept a thermostat controlled heat lamp in there brooder till the nights did not get lower than 70 degrees.
past 20 weeks I took out the heat lamp I also fed them Game bird starter till 20 weeks and then mixed laying pellets for 2 weeks and then went off the Game bird starter to straight pellets.
Also to maintain the health of the Poults mix 3 to 4 ounces of Apple Cider vinegar with one gallon of water till 20 weeks of age and then 1 or 2 times a month for continued health.

If you plan on continuing with the breeding I would suggest getting another Tom there are two Meany stories here of people loosing there one and only Tom and there stuck between a rock and a hard spot.
Diatamais earth food grade is good to mix with there food when you allow them to touch the ground it keeps them wormed about a cup to a 5 gallon bucket of feed is what I use 1 time every month or so.

There will be people her that will chime in on more details of the Incubation proses I have not Incubated any Turkey eggs yet this will be my first year to do that plenty Of chicken eggs but not the Turkey eggs yet I have gleaned a lot of Information from people here just keep reading the different blogs here there are some great people here with lots of Knowledge.

 

[vtfarmer]

Thank you for the info, since we are in vermont I expect more challenges with the weather here as it just got to 20 below but not hitting the 20s. Im sure it would be best to wait till spring but since they are laying I want to get started now. Our animals (poultry included) our part of the family so I have no issues with taking care of their needs. Seems like the cider is mentioned alot here which I will get. Do you think the eggs will still be OK to incubate ? Some will be two weeks old before I get the incubator.

 

[Celie]

I sell hatching eggs and have shipped hatching eggs all over the US. They usually arrive within 3 days of being laid and some of my customers that are good at incubating eggs, get 5 out of 6 to hatch, but eggs kept longer than that, the hatch rate diminishes, expediently with age! After a week, I would not even try to hatch them. The sooner you incubate, the fresher the egg and the higher the hatch rate will be. If they have been kept cool enough and not over 4 weeks, they should still be good to eat and taste better than chicken eggs. I have them hatching now, too, and so far, out of 9 eggs, 8 have hatched and the first one that I put in, was not fertile. I staggered hatch isn't the easiest way to deal with poults, but the hatch rate is much higher. Good luck with your hatch and I think Frank gave you excellent advice as many others on BYC will do! You have a great, very knowledgeable group here!

 

[vtfarmer]

Thank You, Just dont dare to eat these first eggs , we are getting one egg a day up to 13 now. I have been keeping them cool and turning them several times a day. Incubator should be here wednesday which I will set up then and place all the eggs in it to see what will happen. The weather has been cold here so I do not know if the eggs got too cold before I collected them and if they are even good at this point. Since we are getting a egg a day after I get the incubator going I will try eating the next ones. Our 40 hens and 6 ducks should start laying any day as well (cant wait to eat some fresh chicken eggs again) never tried Turkey or duck eggs yet but soon. If nothing happens with the eggs atleast I can get some first hand experience with this incubator.

 

[kuntrygirl]

Sounds like you got it under control for the most part you know that Turkey eggs are harder to hatch than chickens eggs normally a lower hatch rate and the Poults are harder to keep alive its best to Baby the Poults longer than you would Chicks I did not let my Poults touch the ground till 12 or 15 weeks old and kept a thermostat controlled heat lamp in there brooder till the nights did not get lower than 70 degrees.
past 20 weeks I took out the heat lamp I also fed them Game bird starter till 20 weeks and then mixed laying pellets for 2 weeks and then went off the Game bird starter to straight pellets.
Also to maintain the health of the Poults mix 3 to 4 ounces of Apple Cider vinegar with one gallon of water till 20 weeks of age and then 1 or 2 times a month for continued health.

If you plan on continuing with the breeding I would suggest getting another Tom there are two Meany stories here of people loosing there one and only Tom and there stuck between a rock and a hard spot.
Diatamais earth food grade is good to mix with there food when you allow them to touch the ground it keeps them wormed about a cup to a 5 gallon bucket of feed is what I use 1 time every month or so.

There will be people her that will chime in on more details of the Incubation proses I have not Incubated any Turkey eggs yet this will be my first year to do that plenty Of chicken eggs but not the Turkey eggs yet I have gleaned a lot of Information from people here just keep reading the different blogs here there are some great people here with lots of Knowledge.

 

Everything Frank said.

 

[kuntrygirl]

I sell hatching eggs and have shipped hatching eggs all over the US. They usually arrive within 3 days of being laid and some of my customers that are good at incubating eggs, get 5 out of 6 to hatch, but eggs kept longer than that, the hatch rate diminishes, expediently with age! After a week, I would not even try to hatch them. The sooner you incubate, the fresher the egg and the higher the hatch rate will be. If they have been kept cool enough and not over 4 weeks, they should still be good to eat and taste better than chicken eggs. I have them hatching  now, too, and so far, out of 9 eggs, 8 have hatched and the first one that I put in, was not fertile. I staggered hatch isn't the easiest way to deal with poults, but the hatch rate is much higher. Good luck with your hatch and I think Frank gave you excellent advice as many others on BYC will do! You have a great, very knowledgeable group here!

 

[kuntrygirl]

You will have so much fun hatching those eggs.

 

[vtfarmer]

Thank you everyone you are all great people on this site ! We are just getting started, our 40 hens ans 6 ducks should start laying along with the turkeys.

 

[ProfTi]

My Red's just starting laying.....I am just dying of anticipation too. I'm putting them in on Saturday. Good luck with yours.