Incubating turkey eggs

14 years ago

Ok, I have been helping out a farmer friend of mine who is trying a no-till planting in one of his fields, while mowing the field a couple of weeks ago I noticed a turkey hen on a clutch of eggs. We made note of their location and left an island of grass around them unmowed.

Last evening shortly before dark we were out walking the field, ventured too close to the hen who spooked and went running across the field to some woods, just as she approached the woods a fox jumped out and got her. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it.

I very carefully collected the eggs, marking the top with a pencil and put them in a make shift incubator, I have the temperature at 100 degrees +/- and the humidity is around 85%.

Anyone got any idea what the likelyhood is of these eggs hatching? I will rotate them several times daily and know that the hen has been on them for about two weeks.

Comments (4)

brendasue
14 years ago
It depends on how well she and now you care for them, and of course if they are fertile.

Don't know the temps for turkey eggs, but I'm sure you can find information online about both candling to see if the eggs are fertile & how to incubate them.

Too bad about the turkey hen. I think wild turkeys are beautiful.
Brendasue
gardendawgie
14 years ago
Just hang in there. They will hatch. good luck. I hope they can be released into the wild. Contact your state wildlife and they can help. maybe they can hatch the eggs for you and raise the chicks and release them at the proper time.

http://www.wikihow.com/Hatch-Turkey-Eggs-in-an-Incubator

Make sure the temperature is stable at or around 99 degrees, and the humidity stays between 85 and 100 degrees.

Turn all the eggs either three or five times every 24 hours. This prevents the turkey inside from sticking to the shell. Stop turning the eggs three days before they hatch so the turkey can get into hatching position.

http://www.poultry.allotment.org.uk/Poultry/start-keeping-turkeys/turkey-eggs.php

Read everything you can find.
more_to_grow
Original Author
14 years ago
Thanks for the feedback... I have read a great deal and did in fact contact a couple of folks a the state agencies, unfortunately they simply informed me of the laws against possessing eggs under the Migratory Bird Treaty Act, in spite of the fate of the hen I witnessed, and had no interest in helping further; obviously I have not yet reached the 'right' person, but have no intention of investing any more time in that pursuit. I rescued the eggs from certain death and offer them a marginally better chance of survival, there are many turkeys on my property and these will be released at the proper time should they hatch.
laturcotte1
14 years ago
Would you come back and let us know if they ever hatched, good luck.