Turkey hogging nest

[chicorayner]

I'm fairly new to this. I have three ameraucana hens and one roo, two silkie roos (because I couldn't find a home for them (thought they were hens) so I just keep them around) plus one female turkey (is she still called a poult if she's almost a year old?)

Everything has been going well with them. I have been getting three blue eggs a day and one turkey egg a day (I had no idea she would lay that much). We went away for a week and had a neighbour lady check in on the chickens but she didn't collect the eggs. The one Ameraucana hen is now broody over two eggs and the Turkey has a gigantic pile of about 16 eggs under her (only one is hers, the others are all blue). I marked them all so I will just leave them and see if they hatch as too late to take and eat (in case fertilized)...problem is the turkey is VERY guarded over these eggs. She seems to let the hens come and lay them in the next and scoots them under her but for me to get the fresh laid eggs is an epic battle of hissing and shooing with a broom.

Any advice? I would like to continue to gather eggs daily. I'm not sure if the turkey will do anything to the chicks if/when they hatch and she realizes they aren't hers. Overall the hens, roos and turkey get along fine and all roost together in the coop, although now the turkey is just laying on the ground on her nest of hoarded eggs.

If the eggs hatch and there are chicks do I need to remove them to keep them safe from the roos/turkey???

I have read up on all this regarding chickens only but I have no idea how throwing a turkey and my extra roos in the mix is going to pan out. I had no intentions of raising chicks so it wasn't an issue but I don't want to throw all those eggs away, especially if the could very well have chicks in them.

HELP???? Thank you... (husband just shakes his head...lol)

 

[ivan3]

Long sleeved shirt and safety glasses when collecting eggs from a turkey hen. I'd be more worried about the roos and chicks. If the turkey hatches the chicks she'll think they are hers (don't know how the chicken hens will view the matter). If the roos get in between turkey hen and "her" chicks, then the roos are going to suffer.

 

[mrbuch]

here is my turkey with her baby chickens she took care of them just like they were hers and I did not have to separate them from the rest of the birds they were very afraid of her

 

[chicorayner]

Thank you! I really appreciate this!

 

[chicorayner]

Thank you!! I feel much better now.

 

[mrbuch]

Your welcome post some pic's when you get some. I have another turkey sitting on eggs and she should be hatching some in a week or so I think she also gathers the new eggs that are laid even the duck eggs I am not sure if they will hatch do to humidity issues but we will see

 

[R2elk]

Your welcome post some pic's when you get some. I have another turkey sitting on eggs and she should be hatching some in a week or so I think she also gathers the new eggs that are laid even the duck eggs I am not sure if they will hatch do to humidity issues but we will see

I have no doubt that a turkey can hatch duck eggs since I had a BBB turkey hen hatch goose eggs for me. Unfortunately she stepped on the newly hatched goslings and only one of them survived.

Good luck.

 

[mrbuch]

Aw so sad I am hoping we get some ty for sharing