Turkey Talk for 2014

[chicken pickin]

Completely normal. They are seasonal breeders and egg layers.

 

[Arielle]

Quote:

Questions. I was told today that my BBB eggs probably didn't hatch because it's too early in the year. This person has one of my BBB toms and plans to set eggs in a couple weeks. Is this true? Will fertile turkey eggs not hatch until spring? Should I try collecting some eggs and trying again? I butchered the tom on Saturday, so approximately how long will the hen's eggs be fertile? Our weather is nuts. 86 degrees today, really cold and windy tomorrow, then back to the 60's. I don't know how anyone can figure out what time of year it is.

Always worth setting--- if the girls are laying, the boys might be fertile an on the job. I prefer to set to test them.

THe longer the time post last visit with the tom, the number of sperm start to decrease-- eventually some of the eggs will be fertilized, and some wont toward the end of 2-4 weeks. I do know of a chicken hen that produced a chick from a previous male-- and it had been 5 weeks since his last visit.

Turkey hens can hold onto the sperm longer than you want sometimes. Guess how I know THAT!

Quote:

Congrats on the first egg!

Thanks Chickadoodles and Jill---- got first egg from my auburn cross hen!!! ( In another pen)

 

[Momhunter]

Third poults trying to get out of the shell now. They are 3 days early. My chicken and quail eggs also seem to hatch 1-2 days early. Should I decrease me incubator temp by half a degree??? Have it set on 100 now, using gqf cabinet incubator and hatcher. Match their temps and run the humidity around upper 40s in the incubator and 70 in the hatcher. The chicks hatch early but don't seem to have any issues. Should I leave it alone or decrease temp a little??

 

[Momhunter]

Third poults trying to get out of the shell now. They are 3 days early. My chicken and quail eggs also seem to hatch 1-2 days early. Should I decrease me incubator temp by half a degree??? Have it set on 100 now, using gqf cabinet incubator and hatcher. Match their temps and run the humidity around upper 40s in the incubator and 70 in the hatcher. The chicks hatch early but don't seem to have any issues. Should I leave it alone or decrease temp a little??

Correction. They are 2 days early, day 26.

 

[chicken pickin]

Third poults trying to get out of the shell now. They are 3 days early. My chicken and quail eggs also seem to hatch 1-2 days early. Should I decrease me incubator temp by half a degree??? Have it set on 100 now, using gqf cabinet incubator and hatcher. Match their temps and run the humidity around upper 40s in the incubator and 70 in the hatcher. The chicks hatch early but don't seem to have any issues. Should I leave it alone or decrease temp a little??

Correction. They are 2 days early, day 26.

It sounds like your temps are running just a smidge too high. You could try to lower it by a half a degree for next hatch and see how that hatch goes.

 

[Penny Hen]

Looks like spring is in the air in my turkey pen too. As we were driving to dinner last night, I saw my tom on top of one of the hens trying things on for size..... Unfortunately my DSO was hungry, so we had to continue on and I didn't see if they sealed the deal or not.

I also have a RP hen that will squat whenever I get within 10 feet of her. But she wants nothing to do with the tom. Hopefully they will work that out too.

This morning I set up a private nesting area, put in some straw and added a couple wooden eggs. Hoping they will use it and I will see some eggs soon!

Well you could try pinning her for the tom if he will be opportunistic about it.

 

[SilkieSensation]

Questions.  I was told today that my BBB eggs probably didn't hatch because it's too early in the year.  This person has one of my BBB toms and plans to set eggs in a couple weeks.  Is this true?  Will fertile turkey eggs not hatch until spring?  Should I try collecting some eggs and trying again?  I butchered the tom on Saturday, so approximately how long will the hen's eggs be fertile?  Our weather is nuts.  86 degrees today, really cold and windy tomorrow, then back to the 60's.  I don't know how anyone can figure out what time of year it is.

If the eggs are fertile they will develop regardless of the weather. I have eggs in now from slates & palms that were laid in freezing temps with about 6 inches of snow on the ground. My birds had no clue what the weather was outside because I have them on lights because I moved in the middle of winter & haven't gotten the runs up on the coops yet (thus the necessity of lights) & my poor birds would be in the dark 24/7 if I didn't.

 

[gevshiba]

Thanks to everyone for the answers to my many questions. Looks like I'll be picking up my new BR tom on the 23rd. Then a 2 hour drive home with 2 dogs and a turkey in the van. Fun times!

 

[gevshiba]

Well you could try pinning her for the tom if he will be opportunistic about it.

LOL, mine sure was. A hen would squat for me and he'd swagger on over to take advantage of the situation.

 

[Momhunter]

Thanks, that's what I was thinking.


It sounds like your temps are running just a smidge too high. You could try to lower it by a half a degree for next hatch and see how that hatch goes.