Turkey Egg questions

[Struttn1]

I had a hen who would did the same thing last year. I ended up putting her eggs under another broody and only half of them hatched.

 

[sandspoultry]

Quote:
Alot of times the first sitters will do just that, They have part of the instinct but not the whole idea. I have noticed some breeds are more broody than others - Hollands, Midgets, and RP's are our most broody in that order. When a Holland hen decides to sit she might as well be glued to the nest.

Some say that an egg has to be at incubating temp for 24 hours before they start to develop. But who knows, if you dig around enough on the net you can find a study to support just about anything. When you think about it, if you have a couple hens laying in the same nest the eggs could be warmed for quite a few hours a day as each hen lays. I would say hatchability would go down over time but not sure if from the warming and cooling or just the age of the eggs. For our hens we mark all the eggs in the nest each day they are layed and once the hen sits steady we swap them out with fresh eggs.

Steve

 

[Struttn1]

I am hoping to find some guinea eggs about the time the hens get broody. Let the turkeys teach those wandering critters where home and the roost is.

 

[chickenannie]

Quote:
Good luck with that. My turkeys arent' exactly the "homiest" either... they like to roam all over this farm. I might also have the weirdest guineas ever.
We've put up some mirrors and there is a dangling chain the guineas love to play with and they seem to keep the guineas very happy close by.... maybe you could try some guinea toys?!

 

[me&thegals]

Do turkey eggs incubate for 20 days like chicken eggs?

 

[LoveMyBirds]

Quote:
To add what Struttin stated above; This is what happened to me this year.. My chicks are only about 6 months old and plus the 1st part of March here was very cold.

I was not expecting them to go broody on me and first thing I know I had 2 chicikens in one nest.. 3rd nesting in corner by herself.. That one worked out ok..

Then I had one little red chick and a turkey sharing a nest, which might be a big flop... All the chicken eggs are gone.. About 6=7 turkey eggs are in the nest... So I do not know about that one..

Poor little red chicky won't have her little ones.. But she's hangin in on that nest most times under the turkey wing... LOL

 

[LoveMyBirds]

me&thegals :

Do turkey eggs incubate for 20 days like chicken eggs?

28 days roughly.. Ducks 28 days also... Chickens 21 days.. Depends on the temp though..​

 

[chickenannie]

I had 2 RB turkeys sharing a nest last year. It was ok. They brooded on the nest together... the only thing was once 4 were hatched I took one mom and those 4 away and put them in a separate pen until the other hatched under momma #2. Then, I put them all together and they raised the chicks together. The babies slept with either momma it didn't seem to matter to them. After a few weeks, I noticed that one of the hens seemed more eager to get out of the pen and less interested in the chicks, so I let her out and the chicks stayed with original mom. Only thing is the second mom hung out by the pen a lot and I wasn't sure i'd done the right thing. However, in the end they were all fine and they each laid another nest later in the year.

 

[ohiofarmgirl]

here's a happy update!

before i could get out there and take up the eggs... two of my hens actually sat their fluffy butts down! unfortunately in the same main nest.

but with power tools a-flyin' i got all the nest boxes built in no time flat. by then one of the hens got up for a stretch and we fenced in the one still sitting. then we took some eggs up (not covered by hen #1) and put them in the new nest. when hen #2 got back from her walk i showed her the new nest and she sat herself down! both are still in position and its been most of the day. whew!

the third hen - miss "wander all over and put an egg where ever".... didnt warm up to the nest box in the shed. she is still lollygagging all over so not sure what she is going to do. tomorrow early i'll gate her in the shed to see if she lays.

Steve - if you're online today. thanks for all your tips. and wanted to let you know there was an epic battle with our mean tom. it took BOTH dogs to keep him off me while i grabbed the wandering hen and put her in the new nest box in the shed. i ran like the dickens with the dogs covering my 6. thought for a minute there i'd need my husband to join the battle b/c the dogs were loosing at one point! hee hee couldnt get enough of your story about wrestling with the tom on the ground. thanks again!!!

 

[Boggy Bottom Bantams]

Quote:
When they are young they will lay daily. most of them will start to lay every other day after first clutch. If not then you got you some egg laying machines and hopefully that gene passes on.

Mine all lay daily and are 3-4 years old, 3 differnt lines.
Guess I'm the luck one! LOL

Aubrey