You could invest under $3 in a dozen Trader Joe "fertile eggs"........they are white leghorns! They make great experimental eggs to candle and incubate because of the small investment.
I have 5 TJ eggs under my broody right now. Yesterday was hatchday (but she isn't budging off her nest.) She has pushed 2 empty eggshells out from under her!
And, she keeps pushing the babies back underneath her, so we can't see them.
anyway, sorry for the novel, I'm just not sure what to do. Oh, P.S- I've got 3 broody chicken hens as well, so another opting is to shuffle some eggs around (they were all set and should hatch the same day) and let one of them hatch the turkeys eggs, and give her eggs to one of the other hens. Shew, I need to be better organized with this hatching business! Thanks for taking the time to read this. Here's a picture of the proud mama with a couple of her cute little babies!
My turkey hen hatched out some babies yesterday. She was sitting on 7 turk eggs and 12 Cochin eggs that I *thought* were supposed to hatch on Wednesday. I went to the coop yesterday to check things, and there was a poult, so I was obviously way off on my hatch date. I'm positive the chicken eggs wont hatch until Wed. She's still sitting on them, but I'm worried she's going to keep on sitting and neglect the poults. So, are poults like chicks? Meaning, do they survive off the yolk sac for 2-3 days, or do they need to eat and drink sooner? I've caught up a few and dipped their little beaks in the water, and the level in the waterer has changed, so someones been drinking. I plan on taking the eggs and putting them in the incubator, but I'm at work all weekend and can't deal with them until tomorrow (or perhaps tonight- since I think she'd be less inclined to try and murder my hand in the dark). Will my babies be alright tonight or tomorrow around noon? They've got food and water in their cage, but another concern at this point is her defecating all over the chicken eggs that are SO close to being finished. Plus, if the poults are eating and drinking, I'm sure they're pooing all over them too
If the cochins are due to hatch on wed, why not take them to the hen thats brooding and has the closet hatch day. That way mama turkey can take care of her poults. give the broody hen the eggs from from the mama you give the chicken eggs too. Oh now I'm confused. so 1 broody chicken will receive eggs from the turkey and the broody who receives eggs from the turkey will give her eggs to another broody chicken . do you see what I'm getting at that way the eggs due to hatch wed, won't have any competition from eggs hatching on a later date, and all will be happy. including you,
Here's my sharing broodies!! They went out with the chicks today!
