Turkey’s and Their Eggs

[Sleek28]

Howdy! This thread is really for anything turkey! Pictures are always welcome.

That being said, I️ have 2 turkey hens that have been laying eggs in the same nest the entire time it has been there. They were previously laying in a different nest that was not covered from predators at all, so once one of them went broody, I️ moved it to a more secure location. That hens then wanted nothing to do with it. So we put the 20 eggs in the incubator and only 4 have gotten to later stages or development.

The hens proceeded to find a different place to lay (this time we’ll hid in a bush) and have both been laying eggs in it. Now we are at egg 19 and I️ believe they are both broody.

It is very odd, though. They seem to alternate sitting. One hen sits on the eggs all day, the other will sit on the eggs all night. While they are off the nest, they seem to completely forget about it.
Here are a couple of my questions:
1. Will this provide adequate incubation for the eggs?
2. How will parenting work?
3. Is this normal?
4. Will one of them go 100% broody?
5. Should I️ leave the nest where it is, or move them into an enclosure? I️ do not want the poults to have free access to the orchard due to the Toms and chickens.

Thank you!

 

[R2elk]

It is very odd, though. They seem to alternate sitting. One hen sits on the eggs all day, the other will sit on the eggs all night. While they are off the nest, they seem to completely forget about it.
Here are a couple of my questions:
1. Will this provide adequate incubation for the eggs?
2. How will parenting work?
3. Is this normal?
4. Will one of them go 100% broody?
5. Should I️ leave the nest where it is, or move them into an enclosure? I️ do not want the poults to have free access to the orchard due to the Toms and chickens.

1. Maybe, maybe not.
2. Depends on the individual hens. Some can get along fine while others won't.
3. It happens often enough that it is not considered rare.
4. Depends on the individual hen and her age. More mature hens tend to be much better about hatching eggs than first year hens are.
5. During nesting season, I keep my hens penned in so they do not have the opportunity to establish hidden nests in dangerous areas. If you try to move the nest shortly after the hen starts to be broody or before she goes broody, they most likely result is an abandoned nest. If you try to move the nest after the hen has become thoroughly dedicated to being broody, she will be more likely to accept the move especially if you move the nest to a pen that you can contain her in with the new nest.