Turkey Talk for 2014

[JWEBB]

I have a breeding question. I have one hen and one Tom. I really want babies. Tom is just sexually mature. She sits, but he has only tried to mount her once that I've seen, for about 3 seconds. I stopped collecting her eggs the day I saw him mount. Now, two days later, she has gone broody.

Will she stop laying now that she's broody? Think there is any chance of any fertile eggs in there?

Oh good question!

 

[callieisspooky]

Whenever there's a male and a female together there's a chance of fertility. How good a chance, well that's different. If you collected eggs before you saw them breeding, did you ever check one for fertility? It's possible that they've bred many times when you haven't seen it.

Typically the hen will either stop laying when she goes broody, or only lay one more day. The eggs ideally all hatch on the same day, so hens don't usually lay any more after the brood starts, as that would produce a staggered hatch.

If you want her to brood her own eggs, and you have some that you've collected to place under her, you can let her try to hatch them. If they're not showing veining at the right time then you can break her brood before she sets the entire month or more. If you have some eggs that have only been in the refrigerator for a few days you can try them under her also. Theoretically eggs for hatching should not be refrigerated, but people post about hatching refrigerated fertile eggs they bought from the store that were marketed for eating, so clearly refrigeration doesn't kill all embryos.

Alternatively, you can try to break her brood now, and start collecting her eggs when she restarts laying to store properly for her next brood. However, there is always the risk that she won't restart for a long time. The eggs are best stored at cool room temp (~50-55 degrees) for up to 7 days for best hatching, but some will still hatch with up to 14 days of storage, although the fresher the better. They should be stored in an egg carton, pointy end down, and tilted about 30-45 degrees, alternating right and left, 2-4 times daily. I personally try to store for no more than 10 days (unless I'm desperate for chicks from a particular hen, then I'll go up to 14 days), and as the "expiration date" appears I send the egg to the refrigerator for eating. Wash your hands before handling eggs for hatching to avoid contaminating the surface. Eggs should not be washed, just brushed off lightly to preserve the bloom, which protects the eggs from germs getting through the shell. Eggs that are severely soiled should not be saved for hatching, if possible. First time broodies should not be given too many eggs (6-8 is the maximum number I've seen recommended), as they don't have the experience to consistently turn and properly cover 12-18 eggs, so many eggs will get poor care at sometime during the incubation, resulting in poor hatch rates. Best to give a new hen a manageable number to learn on.

You can also save eggs, once she starts laying again, to put in an incubator.

Thank you for all the info, so helpful! I did check a few of her eggs prior to my seeing them mate/attempt to mate, but none were fertile. She is sitting on 7-8 eggs - I stopped collecting early because I was nervous about taking fertile eggs, but I should have kept collecting until I was sure tom was fully mature.

I'll check in about 10 days for veining. Hopefully, she can try again later this spring if this batch isn't fertile! She abandoned her nest for about 2 hours after sitting a full 24. It was about 72 F out. I hope that wouldn't affect the eggs.

Edited to add: I'm not sure how I would store the eggs should she start to relay. It's 80 degrees here by day. We have no A/C. I would have no way to store eggs at 50 degrees unless there is a device for this, like a wine fridge, egg fridge? I've only incubated once, with shipped eggs.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

Hello, my name is Abi, and I am a straw virgin. I have had chickens for two years, and never thought of using straw. I am now ready to make this life changing decision. Tom and I are in love, and we want to do this in a few months, when the the timing is perfect. We thought about rolling in the hay, but that seems very expensive, and not worth the trouble.
Okay, I am done trying to be funny. It is hurting my brain. I have not built the turkey pen yet, but I don't have plans for there to be a floor. I plan on covered roosts, and nests. If this works for me, I know I will need to cover the ground at some point due to the mud that will surely happen. So, what are thoughts on straw? I know it is likely to draw mice and bugs. Mice shouldn't be a problem (I just don't want to see them get eaten!

) and I am not sure that lice and mites are a major concern, or no one would be using it.
Anyone use it? Have thoughts to share?

If you are going with ground as a floor, really consider wood chips or shavings. If you get a wet spell, shoveling or raking wet straw or hay is a back breaker!
Part of my egg coop roof fell in from the snow, and Its taking forever for it to thaw out and shovel. And the floor is concrete!
Its been a horrible mess, never again

We will be tearing down and replacing the entire shed this spring. Shavings work better for deep litter also, with leaves, grass etc mixed in.

 

[Chaneys Ranch]

I have veins!!!!!

Day seven. I have growth in Ten turkey eggs. That might not mean much to some, but is extra special to me. These eegs are from my girl Scarlet a bronze who was every bit as big as my BR tom. I now believe she was a BBB. This past Sunday I went out to feed and water her. She had been spending the nights away from my two toms in a large dog kennel in what I have been referring to as Spa La'Garage. She went broody in there. When I went in I found her dead still on her clutch of 14 Turkey and 3 duck eggs. It as terribly cold out side, but the eggs were not freezing. I hurried and set my incubator up and put 12 of her eggs in. Two were really dirty. One of the duck eggs had broken. I just candled on day 8 and have veins in 10 of her eggs and the remaining duck eggs. I'm so happy. Hopefully in 3 weeks I will be over run with poults from my sweet girl. I also added chicken eggs this evening so fingers crossed.

Oh my, I am so sorry about your hen! Fingers crossed your poults hatch

 

[callieisspooky]

Hello, my name is Abi, and I am a straw virgin. I have had chickens for two years, and never thought of using straw. I am now ready to make this life changing decision. Tom and I are in love, and we want to do this in a few months, when the the timing is perfect. We thought about rolling in the hay, but that seems very expensive, and not worth the trouble.
Okay, I am done trying to be funny. It is hurting my brain. I have not built the turkey pen yet, but I don't have plans for there to be a floor. I plan on covered roosts, and nests. If this works for me, I know I will need to cover the ground at some point due to the mud that will surely happen. So, what are thoughts on straw? I know it is likely to draw mice and bugs. Mice shouldn't be a problem (I just don't want to see them get eaten!

) and I am not sure that lice and mites are a major concern, or no one would be using it.
Anyone use it? Have thoughts to share?

I had extra straw one day and tried it instead of my usual wood chips. Wow, the turkeys and chickens LOVED it. They burrowed right in dustbathing. I kept on using it ever since. I live in a warm, dry climate, so straw vs wood chips is really neither here nor there, but the straw doesn't last as long as chips for what it's worth. It flies everywhere when cleaning out but decomposes well. If you compost it should not be a problem.

I would recommend wire fencing underneath the ground if you're doing a dirt floor. We've had predators tunnel several feet under our coop trying to get in.

 

[piglett]

Whenever there's a male and a female together there's a chance of fertility. How good a chance, well that's different. If you collected eggs before you saw them breeding, did you ever check one for fertility? It's possible that they've bred many times when you haven't seen it.

Typically the hen will either stop laying when she goes broody, or only lay one more day. The eggs ideally all hatch on the same day, so hens don't usually lay any more after the brood starts, as that would produce a staggered hatch.

If you want her to brood her own eggs, and you have some that you've collected to place under her, you can let her try to hatch them. If they're not showing veining at the right time then you can break her brood before she sets the entire month or more. If you have some eggs that have only been in the refrigerator for a few days you can try them under her also. Theoretically eggs for hatching should not be refrigerated, but people post about hatching refrigerated fertile eggs they bought from the store that were marketed for eating, so clearly refrigeration doesn't kill all embryos.

Alternatively, you can try to break her brood now, and start collecting her eggs when she restarts laying to store properly for her next brood. However, there is always the risk that she won't restart for a long time. The eggs are best stored at cool room temp (~50-55 degrees) for up to 7 days for best hatching, but some will still hatch with up to 14 days of storage, although the fresher the better. They should be stored in an egg carton, pointy end down, and tilted about 30-45 degrees, alternating right and left, 2-4 times daily. I personally try to store for no more than 10 days (unless I'm desperate for chicks from a particular hen, then I'll go up to 14 days), and as the "expiration date" appears I send the egg to the refrigerator for eating. Wash your hands before handling eggs for hatching to avoid contaminating the surface. Eggs should not be washed, just brushed off lightly to preserve the bloom, which protects the eggs from germs getting through the shell. Eggs that are severely soiled should not be saved for hatching, if possible. First time broodies should not be given too many eggs (6-8 is the maximum number I've seen recommended), as they don't have the experience to consistently turn and properly cover 12-18 eggs, so many eggs will get poor care at sometime during the incubation, resulting in poor hatch rates. Best to give a new hen a manageable number to learn on.

You can also save eggs, once she starts laying again, to put in an incubator.

what are the chances that my bronze tom will be able to "hit the mark"
so far i'm still getting clear eggs after they sit in the bator for a week
i don't know if these are BB or not but i understand BB can have a tough time breeding on their own

should i sell them off as lawn art (i only have a pair of them) & get a breed that will produce furtile eggs on their own?


thanks
piglett

 

[BullChick]

Are predators really a problem for turkeys? I understand for poults, but I am asking if a weasel is going to eat a 35# BR sitting up on the roost?
But, to ease your mind, I will have wire in the ground or along the ground a foot or so if I go with a mobile coop.

 

[fintuckyfarms]

All ready for the chicks, they arrive on the 26th!

 

[DuckyDestiny]

My 2 chicks arrive the 29th! Holland whites. Can't wait.

 

[Reyvaughn]

I have good news!
Of the 4 eggs I put in the incubator, three are developing! The 4th was cracked and porous so I am not surprised it didn't develop. I just don't know if my Red or the previous owner of the hen's Narragansett toms are the sires.

Other good news...
While my son was doing chores he said the one girl that the other girls were pecking out wasn't walking and the boy was pecking at her. I told him to leave them be. He came back to tell me he was standing on her. Again, leave them be. That's fine. He came back again all worried because she seemed like she couldn't get up. Well, I decided to check in case they did injure her since they've been pecking her off and on while she lays her eggs and has a bald spot on her head and neck because of it. She was fine. He was just doing his job and she was more than ready for him. So, I had to give my 12yr old a G-rated turkey version of the birds and the bees.