Turkey Eggs!!!

[Elfie4306]

Our turkey pair laid!!! We know they've mated, so we want to let her try her hand at hatching them. So far there's five eggs. Any tips or knowledge on helping her hatch them? Also below are a few questions.

1) Is there a large chance they aren't fertilized? If we know they're not, we'd still like to get them before they rot.

2) Can turkeys hatch their own eggs? Or are they often broody?

3) Is it even worth letting her try?

 

[R2elk]

Our turkey pair laid!!! We know they've mated, so we want to let her try her hand at hatching them. So far there's five eggs. Any tips or knowledge on helping her hatch them? Also below are a few questions.

1) Is there a large chance they aren't fertilized? If we know they're not, we'd still like to get them before they rot.

2) Can turkeys hatch their own eggs? Or are they often broody?

3) Is it even worth letting her try?

If they have mated, it is likely that the eggs are fertile.

Turkey hens are capable of hatching their own eggs. Every turkey hen that I have had has gone broody with one exception. The one exception was a hen that never laid an egg.

First time layers can be iffy about staying on a nest long enough to hatch their eggs.

If she has an established nest, you should enclose the nest in a manner that prevents the tom from gaining access to the nest.

A tom will take the hen sitting on the nest as an invitation to breed. The unwanted breeding attempts can result in broken eggs, an injured hen and in the worst case, a dead hen.

 

[Elfie4306]

If they have mated, it is likely that the eggs are fertile.

Turkey hens are capable of hatching their own eggs. Every turkey hen that I have had has gone broody with one exception. The one exception was a hen that never laid an egg.

First time layers can be iffy about staying on a nest long enough to hatch their eggs.

If she has an established nest, you should enclose the nest in a manner that prevents the tom from gaining access to the nest.

A tom will take the hen sitting on the nest as an invitation to breed. The unwanted breeding attempts can result in broken eggs, an injured hen and in the worst case, a dead hen.

If we were to close the coop, and keep the tom in the run, what do you think would happen? We have our chickens in a separate coop so the turkeys have the whole thing to themselves, but I wouldn't want to leave him alone. He's very social. Any recommendations for how to close the nest off?

 

[R2elk]

If we were to close the coop, and keep the tom in the run, what do you think would happen? We have our chickens in a separate coop so the turkeys have the whole thing to themselves, but I wouldn't want to leave him alone. He's very social. Any recommendations for how to close the nest off?

The simplest way is to build an enclosure around the nest that has an opening big enough for the hen to go through but too small for the tom to go through. She can come and go from the nest as she pleases but the tom cannot get to the nest.

Turkeys are very social which is just one more reason to not keep a pair of turkeys. I try to keep a minimum of 4 to 5 hens for each tom. This prevents a hen from getting worn out or injured from over breeding and pretty much assures that all of the hens won't be broody at the same time leaving some to cater to the tom.