Talkin' Turkey (Broody Midget White Question)

[Patchesnposies]

I have a question about my midget white hen. She is not a year old yet, but has gone broody as all get out. She has been missing for the most part for over two weeks. She would magically appear early in the morning sometimes, to eat, and then mysteriously she is gone the next time I look.

I figured she had gone broody but could not find her nest. Well, I found it today. I didn't disturb her because if she was sitting on fertile eggs I didn't want to spook her off of them.

I thought turkey's didn't start to lay until their second year. I have not actually seen any of her eggs. I wouldn't know what they looked like if I had ever stumbled on them.

The tom we had was sold the end of December. I am thinking she is sitting on dud eggs. Of course I don't know how long she was stockpiling eggs either.

She's gone this long is there any harm in letting her go and see what comes of it? How long does incubation of turkey eggs take?

Are MW's good mothers?

She is one devoted bird! I had no idea! She is our lone turkey and is very quiet and docile.

Shall I remove these eggs when she isn't there? Can I use her to hatch chicken eggs?

I worry about her being eaten by a coyote because her nest is outside of the pen.

Advice? Tips? Suggestions?

 

[JesusSavedMe]

Turkey eggs take about 4 weeks to hatch.If she will go broody the you should be able to use her to hatch chicken eggs.If you want to know if they are fertile then try and candle them when she is gone.

 

[ivan3]

I have not actually seen any of her eggs. I wouldn't know what they looked like if I had ever stumbled on them.

Something like this:

Shall I remove these eggs when she isn't there?

If you want her to go broody, and you have a safe location/nest ready to go place the eggs in the new nest and don't let her out for a couple of days, if she's amenable you'll find the egg count increase by one or two; don't let her range without keeping an eye on her. Also, completely trash the first nest (put a log or something over the location). Once they go broody they'll usually leave the nest, once a day, usually in the afternoon, to eat/poop/dirt bathe for about fifteen minutes or so.

They will also remove `bad' eggs and take them off quite a distance (our Slate about 100yd.s from nest disposing of a hopeless egg):

I worry about her being eaten by a coyote because her nest is outside of the pen.

The first two years, our Royal decided that a big patch of daylillies near the house would be perfect. We have a chain link dog run that we moved over her, covered, and otherwise predator proofed. The Slate hen joined her. During the second summer the Royal (already setting the dog run nest), went out in the afternoons and started another nest in the woods. She'd always be back in the run in less than an hour, so we thought she was just foraging. She was mortally wounded, by a raccoon on a daytime schedule. She defended the nest, though she could have flown straight up and away (how we found the original nest in the shot above - she laid an egg, wanted to forage with the rest of the turks and flew up like she was being shot out of a cannon to glide back into the yard). I trapped the coon the following afternoon (had her feathers in it's stomach).

If you don't provide a secure nesting location and devote a bit of attention to what she's up to, it could get ugly for no good reason. She will get her `hiss on' once she goes broody. so watch your hands.​

 

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
Midgets are one of the earliest laying breeds, our Midgets and Beltsville's have started laying at 6 to 7 months. How many eggs are in the nest? Some hens will lay every day but alot every other day. If you sold your tom in Dec and she just started laying chances are very good they aren't fertile.

With letting her sit outside a secure area is risky, she is easy prey. But by moving her and the nest she may leave the eggs. I agree with Ivan if you move the nest trash the old one or she will go back

The eggs should take 28 days to hatch

Steve in NC

 

[farmerlor]

Of course if you have any wild turkeys in your area all bets are off.