Turkenstein25's Turkey Talk for 2015

[glorymorgan]

We have a Royal Palm tom hatched 2 springs ago, and 2 hens hatched last spring. The hens are not laying yet (we have several feet of snow and subzero temps). Are Royal Palms likely to be broody? We are hoping so. Any suggestions on nesting arrangements to provide them with? Thanks!

 

[racinchickins]

We have a Royal Palm tom hatched 2 springs ago, and 2 hens hatched last spring. The hens are not laying yet (we have several feet of snow and subzero temps). Are Royal Palms likely to be broody? We are hoping so. Any suggestions on nesting arrangements to provide them with? Thanks!

I think almost all Non-Broad Breasted types should tend to be broody. My RPs were last year. She raised up two different batches of babies.

As far as nesting, mine nested under a piece of plywood leaned up against the wall of the coop. I put 2x4 in front to keep the hay in the nest and they took care of the rest. Others have used old dog coops or even an old tire (fill the tire with dirt and then put hay in the center). Just like chickens, they prefer to be a bit secluded so they feel safe.

 

[R2elk]

I think almost all Non-Broad Breasted types should tend to be broody.

All of the hen turkeys that I have had in the last 20+ years have gone broody. The broad breasted turkey hens are just as broody as the heritage turkey hens.

 

[Twistedfeather]

I'll be getting some more Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys this year. I'm ordering at the end of the month I hope.

 

[jdduck]

my frist hatch of the year and more on the way this weekend

 

[Book Em Danno25]

my frist hatch of the year and more on the way this weekend

So cute!!

 

[Wileynerio]

How can I tell if my female turkey is about to lay eggs for the first time she is almost a year old this morning I let her out and she just layer on the ground in front of me and let me pick her up I put her in a pen by her self with a heat lamp cause she was shaking and cold and now she was walking around chirping. Is she about to lay ?

 

[AmericanMom]

How can I tell if my female turkey is about to lay eggs for the first time she is almost a year old this morning I let her out and she just layer on the ground in front of me and let me pick her up I put her in a pen by her self with a heat lamp cause she was shaking and cold and now she was walking around chirping. Is she about to lay ?

The laying in front of you is her squat, she wants to mate..
Mine started actively mating at alittle over 8 months old, maybe 8 1/2 months.. Got our first egg the day before she turned 9 months old..
From what I understand they start laying when the temperature warms a bit?? Where I am we have had a very mild winter and have enjoyed spring like weather for the past 3+ weeks.

We have Bourbon Reds, I was told not to expect eggs til they were 10 months old, but the mating alerted me so after a few weeks we set up a nice, completely covered old chick brooder out under some cedar tree's we have.. one day I heard that hen calling and calling so I went out and she was walking around, in and out of buildings, around and under equipment and such, I grabbed some hay and a fake egg and put it into the new place I was hoping they would lay, sure enough about 20 min later she found it and settled down and I got my first egg.

 

[AmericanMom]

If you find the eggs in a nest. Make sure to leave some fake eggs there when you take their eggs. My hens will go find another nest if they think something has disturbed their nest. It doesn't need to be a 1:1 replacement either. I put two wooden eggs in, and they continue using the nest as long as they are laying.

I thought both my girls were using the same nest, I kept a fake egg in there and was getting an egg a day. I thought they were both laying as I didn't think they would start out laying once a day.. Less than a week after the daily egg started appearing I was working outside and kept hearing another of the hens calling and calling.. Watched her walk in and out and around and under buildings, equipment and such, she finally went into the chicken coop.. I peeked into a window and sure enough she was scratching herself out a depression and that's where she laid, in a corner.. I took it and didn't replace it with a fake egg and I would rather her not lay there, she skipped laying yesterday so I will be watching her today, hopefully she goes to the same box her sister uses

 

[313759]

Yeeeelp cluck cluck... gobble gobble...cut cut cluck yeeeelp

I'm talkin' Turkey like you wanted me to