Why are they hatching 3 days early?

[wanda047]

I have 10 wild eastern turkey eggs in the bator. They were not supposed to hatch until Wednesday... but for some strange reason, I have 5 of the 10 hatching today! I intended to turn them for the last time this morning, then up my humidity for hatching. Imagine my surprise when I turned the first egg over and saw a hole the size of a dime already in the egg... it was pipping on the bottom of the egg! After closer inspection, I discovered 4 more pipped and a couple more rocking.

I have gotten the humidity up to 75%. This is my first batch of turkey eggs ever... anything else I need to do? I am not prepared for these babies! I just moved 12 of my baby chicks out of their brooder this morning and moved to a pen outside. I thought I'd have a couple of days to get things prepared for the turkeys. Now I'm in a panic!

 

[Chick-a-roo Girl]

Maybe if they were in the nest for a day or two the hens sitting on them already started the incubation process. Another possibility is temperature spike. Believe it or not I have had chicks hatch after I let the temp get up to 105. The ambient room temp heated up in the middle of the day, while I was away and the A/C was off, and it caused the bator to really heat up, for how long, I don't know.

I don't know about Turkeys, but for chickens, high humidity is very bad. I dry hatch and have better success with the chicks. That is, I don't add water until the end of the hatch. If I let the humidity get above 60-70%, I will have more cripples, egg sac infection, and dead in shell chicks. I am about to attempt a Guinea hatch and they say to use higher humidity because of the thick shells. Maybe it is that way with the Turkey eggs?

Jeanne

 

[wanda047]

It seems everything I read says something different. It isn't for lack of research. It just seems everyone has a different opinion. So I have no idea where the humidity should be. I think 65-75% for turkeys is correct? but I'm not positive.

Maybe someone who has hatched turkeys before can let me know before I do some irreversible damage.

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

Early hatches are due to high incubation temps. in a still air you want 101 and with a fan you want 99.5.

Humidity during hatch from 60% to 80%

 

[wanda047]

First baby turkey is out and drying. He appears to be fine, yolk was absorbed completely and so far so good. I just can't believe they are hatching 3 days early!!

DH is sure excited. These are his birds!

My chicken addiction is wearing off on him. LOL He also has 125 quail eggs ordered. I may have created a monster!

 

[wanda047]

I am using a still air and temps have been running about 102 most of the time, so this may be why the turkeys are hatching a few days early. Right now my humidity is running 72-73%. Do you think I need to up it some more or leave it alone for the time being?

Thanks for your response. So far I have one chick out, another almost out and several which have pipped. I also have two eggs rocking, so hopefully I'll have a successful hatch, even if it is earlier than anticipated.

 

[Harp Turkey Ranch]

your humidity is just fine were they are at.

GOODLUCK on your hatch !!!