What to do...

[tazcat70]

OK I was STUPID...there I said it.

I saw an ad on Craigslist for free turkey hatching eggs. They were about an hour away from me, so I drive out to get them. I got a total of 27 eggs. At this point he tells me that he hasn't been having good luck getting any to hatch, that is why he is giving them away. So I then drive another hour home, wondering what the heck I am going to do with them now. They are Broad breasted white hens with a different breed of white tom.

My incubator space is limited, and if it was empty (which it isn't) I might be able to fit them all in it.

So what would you do?

 

[OmaBird]

Did he date them to know what ones are the freshest? Did he store them correctly and turn them daily?

 

[tazcat70]

The oldest are from Saturday, with the freshest from Monday Morning. I doubt he turned them, they are with the air cell up tho.

 

[longranger]

Pick a small one or an egg that looks less than 100% and check it for a bullseye. Keep cracking until you see at least one fertile egg to avoid wasting you time and energy.

 

[OmaBird]

Did you happen to see what his hen to tom ratio was?


I know with my Toms make better Dads there second year.

 

[tazcat70]

Quote:
Good idea.

I did not see his ratio. It was a drizzly day and when I drove past where they were, they were hunkered down.

 

[OmaBird]

That just seems like alot of eggs to be layed in that short of time. He had to have a lot of hens. My BBW turkeys where never that great at laying if they even lived to egg laying age. There legs break down so easy and they smash there own eggs from there own weight. They where good moms if you could get past those problems. They even stole other hens babies.

 

[Steve_of_sandspoultry]

Quote:
How old where your BBW's when they started to lay?

Steve

 

[tazcat70]

He said he was getting about 5 or so a day. When I drove by I saw about 20-30 turkeys.