Thinking of getting some eggs.

[neener92]

I am thinking of getting some turkey eggs. Has anyone successfully hatched shipped turkey eggs under a broody chicken. Also when they are old enough can I let them free range or will they run away?

 

[neener92]

Also, I've heard turkey chicks are very hard to keep alive, is this true?

 

[mbnewby]

i would say no harder then chickens

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

If you are thinking about getting shipped eggs they don't ship well in the heat of the summer.

Steve

 

[Lagerdogger]

Turkey poults seem to be susceptible to diseases. If you don't have or get any diseases, raiseing poults seems easy. If you get a disease and half your turkeys die, it seems a lot harder. This year, I ordered 18, one arrived dead, one failed to thrive and eventually dies, and two others that appeared healthy died suddenly in their first week. The other 14 are doing great! Out of 104 meatbirds, 4 died as chicks, and a couple others died just before butchering. If you do the math, our turkey death rate was about half that of the chickens.

Give them food and water, keep their coop clean, and they will probably do just fine. But don't be surprised if you have some mortality.

A firend of ours bought 22 BBB turkeys without consulting his wiser half. She came home and asked what they were going to do with all the turkeys. He told her not to worry because turkey mortality is very high. They now have 22 turkeys stuffed in their freezer!

 

[neener92]

I order six turkey eggs! I am soo excited to hatch the little guys out!

I hope they do well!

 

[neener92]

I order six turkey eggs! I am soo excited to hatch the little guys out!

I hope they do well!

 

[Lotsapaints]

Let us know how it goes for you. I had some shipped in June and worried about the heat and they were one of my best hatches 4 out of 6 and I paid for 4 so for shipped eggs I am very happy they are doing fine so I hope yours do well too.

 

[neener92]

I ordered 6 and they sent 9, I candled them and they look pretty good to me so far! I ordered 24 guinea eggs one extra in June one my hen cracked, 4 were not fertile, and one died right before hatch, and two died at a week old, so now I have 17 healthy keets in the brooder! Then I ordered 6 duck eggs one extra and one stopped developing on the first week, and one other stopped on the second week, now I have 5 little ducklings pipping! Needless to say I have had pretty good luck with shipped eggs, perhaps it's because I use a broody? Whatever the case I'm glad I have healthy little birdies everywhere!

The guinea and duck eggs are from ebay. Turkey eggs are from Porter's Rare Turkeys.

One question for people who have raised turkeys (I've hatched chickens, ducks, and guineas so I know nothing about hatching turkeys or taking care of them.) I have heard baby turkeys can't have cold water in the dead of summer or when its warm out, is this true? I would also like to know any little details about raising them, that would be greatly appreciated! Thank you!

 

[Lotsapaints]

Hummm I never give babies out of the incubator cold water just tepid after they are older if it's hot the water is cold and in the winter I just make sure it isn't frozen but living inland from the coast it very seldom gets that cold here. Just don't let your turkey poults get chilled or wet I always raise mine with chicks to help with them eating and drinking but I've never had any problems I've always kept them on rubber matted floors with fine shavings and now that all of mine are over 8 weeks they will go outside with their own house and run and probably some chickens....mine have always been with chickens and they seem to get along quite well.