Turkey has stopped laying

[BOrion]

Hello out there! I am totally new to turkeys. Getting my first little ones in May. I did get two for my neighbor last spring. His Tom has turned very mean. From what I've read, there's not much to be done about it. We do have lots of wild turkeys around here and he was thinking of releasing his Tom since he doesn't have the heart to kill it. Any thoughts on this? Also, his hen laid about 10-12 eggs, then just stopped. What would make her just stop? Thank you. As I enter into this new adventure, I'm sure you turkey experts will be hearing from me again!

 

[WalnutHill]

I would never release a domestic turkey into the wild. First reason, the tom is likely to suffer a slow or violent death as domestic turkeys no longer have the finely tuned survival skills that benefit wild turkeys. Second, that mixing domestic genetics with wild genetics will make an impact on the local population (if he survives to breed), and if his genetics pass any white or light coloration, the poults will also be at higher risk of predation.

My guess would be the hen made a nest somewhere if they have any opportunity to get outside, or that a possum or skunk is stealing the eggs, or that the hen just isn't ready to get down to business.

If he lists the tom on Craigslist it's likely he can sell it, if he's not interested in eating him.

 

[holly777]

I have two toms and two hens!!! I have had a lose of eggs with my female, she didn't want to sit on them at all and one night it got really cold and I had some In A homemade incubator and something messed up and the eggs got way to cold and now I had to get rid of four eggs today because there was no life in them after the cold I candled them and saw that it looked like they were sticking to the side of the egg and not moving what so ever and gave it a couple more days and candled them and still no life.... Sad day today... But my female has finally went broody on me she is sitting on 9 eggs.. I bet I will at least have some come out of hers.

 

[aaronclements8]

Unlike chickens, turkeys don't lay eggs all year long. In this case I believe that his hen has laid all the eggs that she is going to lay this year

 

[BOrion]

Unlike chickens, turkeys don't lay eggs all year long. In this case I believe that his hen has laid all the eggs that she is going to lay this year

Oh wow, I had no idea. Thanks for the info.

 

[WalnutHill]

My yearling Narragansett hen last year laid about 40 eggs by July. I didn't hold her over so I don't know what her mature production would have been.