Turkeys laying habits

Misty · **Posted:** Sun Sep 15, 2013 10:11 am

Can anyone tell me if a turkey can hold off laying an egg until it finds the right place?
If it is the case, how long can they hang on??? One of mine is determined to lay in a mystery nest where I simply cannot find her, so I keep her locked up in the hope that I can follow her to her nest. Last night she stayed out on it...wherever, and miracle of miracles she was back this morning. I now have her in the shed, once again in the hope that I can follow her to her secret nest.

Minden Narragansett · **Joined:** Sun Apr 07, 2013 1:12 pm **Posts:** 8

Yes they can if you interrupt her cycle by confining her or if she is scared by say a fox ecad.. they have the ability to absorb eggs not yet passed so they can miss 1, 2 even 3 in the cycle if the need comes

Misty · **Posted:** Sun Sep 15, 2013 8:32 pm

Thank you. I found her on her nest on the next door farm..just over the fence actually. How she survived the night is amazing...she was very well camouflaged..but the fox would eventually sniff her out. I have contained her with her 9 eggs, but she is not at all impressed by that move. We will see how she goes...hopefully she will take ownership of the eggs!!

ABCTurkeys · **Joined:** Sat Jul 13, 2013 7:44 pm **Posts:** 6

She won't go back to those eggs after a move I would use an incubator or chook if you have either one?

Misty · **Posted:** Tue Sep 17, 2013 9:47 am

I contained her with her eggs overnight and she seems to have taken them on. So fingers crossed. I could incubate but prefer not to have to.

ABCTurkeys · **Joined:** Sat Jul 13, 2013 7:44 pm **Posts:** 6

Lucky you thats never happened for me

Minden Narragansett · **Joined:** Sun Apr 07, 2013 1:12 pm **Posts:** 8

I have moved poults to brood cages with great success especially blue narragansett and blue palms but also the bronze

ABCTurkeys · **Joined:** Sat Jul 13, 2013 7:44 pm **Posts:** 6

I have tried a few times but mine never go back not sure why now

Misty · **Posted:** Thu Sep 19, 2013 10:59 am

I do contain them in the nest overnight...there is enough room for them to sit beside the nest...but very little. The space is about 80cm square. But because they are broody already and that seems to help. Once they are sitting solidly, they can get out completely and even graze if they want, but for 4 weeks, they don't appear to eat or drink at all. I do close them off at hatching time, as the Tom, in the past, has killed the poults.
I have moved them in other years as well, because they are very inclined to sit on shed roofs, in veggie patches and in the neighbors property!!! Anywhere but in their nests..
My turkeys are just white birds..no special breed (although the Tom is a royal palm) and they go particularly broody in the season...to the point that I really need to put any kind of eggs under them to hatch, as I have never been able to break them out of that broodiness, once it comes upon them. hide:

Minden Narragansett · **Joined:** Sun Apr 07, 2013 1:12 pm **Posts:** 8

Good info and yes they can be hard to break but a wire bottom cage will do the trick

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Turkeys laying habits

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