Turkeys about breeding time

[Chic Rustler]

I just got my incubator all sanitized. Gonna give it a day to run and dry out, collect a few more eggs and then load it Sunday or Monday. Gotta get some more chickens. I got a guy who wants to pay me darn good for half of the layers I have. Can't turn it down.

 

[baymule]

Chickens really are the ultimate small farm animal. They are easy to raise, easy to house, give eggs and meat and will even raise their own replacements. What's not to love about a chicken?

I think it's great they way you two are scheduling the turkey eggs and working this out. Wonderful of you to share @CrealCritter

 

[CrealCritter]

Well I now have 5 turkey eggs under one of my older broody Buff Orpengton hens. 2 eggs Friday, 1 egg Sunday, 2 eggs today Monday. I've completely switched out chicken eggs for turkey eggs so all she's sitting on are turkey eggs and she's none the wiser.
Hopefully there will be more eggs tomorrow. Turkey eggs are quite a bit larger than chicken eggs - I think about 9 eggs is all the hen could sit on to be honest.

 

[CrealCritter]

How long does it take them to lay a clutch, before brooding? 5 days sound too short a time. Chicken eggs I know stay viable for 3 weeks +, though after 2 weeks hatchability drop significantly.

I would say from start to finish it's at least a good 30 days before they start sitting. I mean turkey eggs could be viable longer than the 5 days like I've read. I'm just a Padawan book learner who likes to raise and eat turkey I'm sure we got some turkey Jedi roaming about that could chime in. Just no [strike]trolls [/strike] sith ok?

 

[CrealCritter]

Turkeys sure are weird... No eggs today but two yesterday. I'm starting to understand they lay a egg about every day and a half or so. They take their sweet time laying a clutch that's for sure.

The only reason I'm gathering up their eggs when they lay them is because it's still cold outside and temperature dips below freezing at night. The turkey hens roost on a thick branch I set up in the their yard. They leave their eggs laying where they laid them and I know they would freeze.

Turkey hens don't start sitting on their eggs until they are done laying their clutches. Which what I seen is anywhere for 20 to 30 eggs.

 

[CrealCritter]

Chickens really are the ultimate small farm animal. They are easy to raise, easy to house, give eggs and meat and will even raise their own replacements. What's not to love about a chicken?

I think it's great they way you two are scheduling the turkey eggs and working this out. Wonderful of you to share @CrealCritter

Thanks Bay that means a lot and a great way to further the breed. I know CR will really enjoy a home raised burbon red turkey on the Thanksgiving table. There is really no comparison to store bought broad breasted (Butterball).

 

[CrealCritter]

2 more turkey eggs today - that's 9 eggs total now - including the 1 chicken egg she layed today. I think that's about all my chicken hen can handle and I think the weather "might" coordinate. I hope we aren't looking at another freeze. So I'll leave the turkey hens to do their natural born thing and finish out laying their clutches now so they will start sitting.

 

[CrealCritter]

Both hens started sitting Saturday. I just got done candling every egg. I don't see any activity what so ever. I'm going to put the eggs back and check again Sunday. But with the wacky weather we had I would not be surprised at all if the eggs got to cold and froze before the hens decided to sit.

If I don't see any activity when I candle them again Sunday. Then I'm not going to put them back with the hopes that it will cause the hens to go into lay again. Last year they laid two clutches one late winter early spring and the second late spring early summer. It was the second clutches that hatched out baby turkey chicks.

 

[CrealCritter]

@Chic Rustler - they still are not done laying. They haven't started sitting yet. The two hens have only laid 23 eggs. I suspect they have a few.more to.lay before they start sitting. At least I know these eggs haven't froze

 

[Chic Rustler]

I got a few irons in the fire right now. Gotta come up with something that will keep the rabbits alive on 110°f day, build new hutches, and i have 85 eggs in the incubator....oh and canning every other night il midnight.