Turkey eggs in the incubator, and question about Imprinting

[SarahGfa]

I bought new turkey eggs and they are in the incubator now! I have many broody chicken hens, and will give the eggs to a broody once they are developing.

Last year I used my friendliest broody chicken hen to raise poults. She taught them to be friendly with humans, and the only survivor grew up into a human-aggressive Tom.

This year I will give the eggs to a more "feral" chicken hen, and avoid contact with the poults until the fall. Is that the right way to do it? Why are there so many wild turkeys attacking humans, that were never handled as poults?

 

[R2elk]

I bought new turkey eggs and they are in the incubator now! I have many broody chicken hens, and will give the eggs to a broody once they are developing.

Last year I used my friendliest broody chicken hen to raise poults. She taught them to be friendly with humans, and the only survivor grew up into a human-aggressive Tom.

This year I will give the eggs to a more "feral" chicken hen, and avoid contact with the poults until the fall. Is that the right way to do it? Why are there so many wild turkeys attacking humans, that were never handled as poults?

If you are going to give the eggs to a broody chicken, I recommend doing it right from the start. It does not matter to the chicken that it will take an extra week for the eggs to hatch.

I have hatched turkey eggs with a broody hen but i take the poults away as soon as they are dry and put them in a brooder. I don't want my turkey poults to get imprinted by a chicken. The imprinting removes the turkey's ability to understand that chickens are not turkeys. This can be very harmful to the chickens once the turkeys grow up and start treating the chickens the same way they will treat another turkey.

I also avoid imprintiing the turkey poults myself as I want the turkeys to understand that people are not turkeys. .My only interaction with the poults in the brooder is to change out the water and keep the feeder full. I do not pick up the poults and hold them at all.

 

[SarahGfa]

If you are going to give the eggs to a broody chicken, I recommend doing it right from the start. It does not matter to the chicken that it will take an extra week for the eggs to hatch.

OK. I wanted to make sure they are actually fertile. I bought them on craigslist for cheep.

I also avoid imprintiing the turkey poults myself as I want the turkeys to understand that people are not turkeys. .My only interaction with the poults in the brooder is to change out the water and keep the feeder full. I do not pick up the poults and hold them at all.

What is the age range for imprinting? When do you start interacting with your poults (if ever)?

My one Tom that was raised by a chicken, doesn't know he is a turkey. The neighbor's turkey-hen came to visit a month ago, and he attacked her as an intruder. As a test, I held up a bathroom mirror in front of him. He made the "pop-pop" alarm call and ran the other way.

I think they need an adult role model, maybe.

 

[R2elk]

What is the age range for imprinting? When do you start interacting with your poults (if ever)?

My one Tom that was raised by a chicken, doesn't know he is a turkey. The neighbor's turkey-hen came to visit a month ago, and he attacked her as an intruder. As a test, I held up a bathroom mirror in front of him. He made the "pop-pop" alarm call and ran the other way.

I think they need an adult role model, maybe.

I never do mess with my turkeys. I like that they are not following me around and getting underfoot and into everything. If I was going to tame them, I would probably wait until 6 months old.

Turkeys raised only with other turkeys do fine figuring out that they are turkeys even without any adult turkeys around.

Imprinting whether by chickens or people can yield some very undesirable results.

 

[589205]

I agree with @R2elk
Young turkey poults are extremely fragile & impressionable by nature. It's never a good idea to confuse them by raising them alongside broody chicken hens.

 

[Devils Flower]

OK. I wanted to make sure they are actually fertile. I bought them on craigslist for cheep.


What is the age range for imprinting? When do you start interacting with your poults (if ever)?

My one Tom that was raised by a chicken, doesn't know he is a turkey. The neighbor's turkey-hen came to visit a month ago, and he attacked her as an intruder. As a test, I held up a bathroom mirror in front of him. He made the "pop-pop" alarm call and ran the other way.

I think they need an adult role model, maybe.

My 6 turkeys are 3 months old now and they have never gone a day with out human contact since I first brought them home.
They also have chickens/roosters ducks and 2 cats and 2 dogs they hang out with every day. We are a extremely close family..