**~~>>Second Annual Cinco de Mayo Turkey Hatchathon<<~~**all poultry welcome!

[mstricer]

well my neighbor acroos the road gave 8 royal palm eggs and 10 burbon red eggs, so looks like i'll be joing the hatch-a-thon with turkeys instead of chickens

ETA: this is my first time ever setting/hatching turkeys..... do I hatch them just like chicken eggs???

Yeah for you, I've never hatched turkeys either, I am so excited. I going to set some chicken eggs with them next week. I think you hatch them like chicken eggs other then they go 28 days instead of 21

 

[mstricer]

Quote: Making note of this. My turkey we had for Thanksgiving was yummy. He had a thick layer of fat on his chest which held in all the juices.

 

[cuppycake]

So here's one of my eggs from the high temp spike this morning



I'm not sure what sort of damage I might notice at this point since they were only in the bator one night (about 9 hours) before I noticed the spike. This picture was taken about 15 minutes ago, or 12.5 hours after the spike. Anyone notice anything I should be concerned about? I know it's not much to look at right now. This is one of the bantam eggs by the way. I sort of figured that being the smallest they'd heat up to a lethal temp more quickly, and if they looked ok then the odds were that the bigger (LF chicken and turkey) eggs would have a slightly better chance. Of course, this is just my assumption and my reasoning may be off entirely. I'm just trying to find any glimmer of hope that I didn't ruin 30 eggs

Anyway, I set 31 eggs total last night. and after opening this one they are as follows
6 golden palm turkeys
9 blue or black turkeys
11 BLRW bantams
4 mixed breed chickens

 

[ChooksChick]

Oh...and I just set 382 eggs, 4 dozen of which were turkeys. Do I need that many chicks? Do I need an intervention?

When I candle in a week, I'll have enough room for them to be more comfortable...but since I put them in with the ~3 dozen eggs that are still possibly viable from my last set despite the 112* temps overnight it's a bit tetris-y in there...and I hacked my Sportsman to be 4 shelves instead of three. I used wire to hang my 4th tray from the frame of the lowest turning level on the turner, so I haven't a hatching level now. It shouldn't matter by the time we get to hatching, and if it's still packed, I'll just turn off the turner.

CAVEAT:

I will now have to sell everything laid for 3 weeks because I forgot I gave away my remaining styros and I don't want to dig the R-com out. It only holds 40 on a good tetris day, anyway.

*sigh*

 

[ChooksChick]

So here's one of my eggs from the high temp spike this morning



I'm not sure what sort of damage I might notice at this point since they were only in the bator one night (about 9 hours) before I noticed the spike. This picture was taken about 15 minutes ago, or 12.5 hours after the spike. Anyone notice anything I should be concerned about? I know it's not much to look at right now. This is one of the bantam eggs by the way. I sort of figured that being the smallest they'd heat up to a lethal temp more quickly, and if they looked ok then the odds were that the bigger (LF chicken and turkey) eggs would have a slightly better chance. Of course, this is just my assumption and my reasoning may be off entirely. I'm just trying to find any glimmer of hope that I didn't ruin 30 eggs

Anyway, I set 31 eggs total last night. and after opening this one they are as follows
6 golden palm turkeys
9 blue or black turkeys
11 BLRW bantams
4 mixed breed chickens

Never count eggs out until you see proof of NO life, like stationary black spots, etc. That egg looks perfectly viable to me, and if I have ~3 doz eggs that survived 112* overnight...well, you get it.

Heat spikes really have to be very high and prolonged to off the eggs. In the summer, my hens get off of the eggs, leaving them exposed to the 110* weather while they go eat and drink and wander around for an hour or two. They are fine, despite this. Likewise, they get up in the winter and do the same thing. Fortunately, they're designed to be forgiving...

 

[ChooksChick]

Guess what? It's sprinkling. There's thunder. We sooooooooooooooo need it.

 

[superchemicalgirl]

Welcome to all the new joiners!

I incubate turkeys the same as ducks and chickens.

I also roast turkeys with a piece of fatback on them. It "melts" during cooking and runs down the bird, making it delicious.

BF instead puts butter on the top in slabs with the salt, pepper and garlic, which also runs down the bird. He then uses the drippings and butter to make mashed potatoes with. Best thing I've ever tasted.

 

[JulieNKC]

Ok, I set 6 duck eggs today. 3 goose eggs Friday. I have chukar eggs hopefully coming just in time to set, and whatever chicken eggs I decide to throw in there.

I had a couple cute little african goslings hatch over the weekend. I love goslings, they are the sweetest things!
Here's my gander trying to steal them away from me, he thinks they are the sweetest little things too, lol.

 

[chicken pickin]

Ive been busy all day so I havent set yet. I first need to go collect todays turkey eggs from the coop. Then I need to candle all the other eggs I already have in the incubator and weed out all the clears. Then I will set hopefully 11 BR turkey eggs tonight. I will post back with my set in a short bit.

 

[Gardengirl73]

You should candle... You don't want to miss something.

And rumor has it someone is getting a SJ with epaulettes.

Aw, epaulettes. Now those make a statement. Very nice!