One of the biggest questions new turkey farmers often ask me is when to expect the first egg. Newbies are anxious to a fault anticipating the arrival of the fragile solid white oval. There are signs that may suggest that your eggs are on the way. However, this article is not so much on the signs but rather the time.

Turkeys are fowls and as such their reproductive systems must be fully developed before they can lay. Laying is the final stage of sexual maturity in turkeys. The elegant creatures are good layers when they are fed. Let us examine when the turkey will start laying those precious eggs.

Unlike some birds, turkeys will lay eggs even if there are no male turkeys around. Toms, as male turkeys are known, are however required for the eggs to fertilize. No egg can hatch without fertilization. Any egg laid without fertilization will not be viable and cannot hatch!

On the average, turkeys start laying at the age of 7 months. They may lay between 12 and 16 eggs per clutch after which they will go broody. Even if the eggs have been removed, some turkeys will visit where they laid the eggs and brood.

From my experience, turkey hens start laying approximately two weeks after coming on heat. When the hen is on heat they readily offer themselves to the toms and mating takes place several times in the day. When this takes place, the first eggs should be expected about fortnight later.

Have a great day!

GGfadar:
Very very correct.......



Organic turkey farming is best for me......




Very low fat meat production................

rastamouse:

https://turkeyview..com/2015/10/when-does-turkey-start-laying.html

jumper524:
pls how long does it takes for turkey eggs to hatch

Chibenze:

28 days

LKO:


Please how many days does it take a native hen to hatch its eggs? I m a newbie in this field, my native hen has been covering its eggs for over 30 days now, it has refused to hatch the eggs, this is the first time the hen is laying eggs. It appear very weak and lean, staggers when it walks. I m worried please.

Chibenze:

native hen (fowl) is 21days max while turkey is 28days. guess the egg where not fertile or it has spoil. please remove the eggs and free the hen so it will not die because it take a lot of energy to incubate an egg.
pls remove them immediately

LKO:

Thank you so much. I m sad now. What could have spoilt the eggs? O no!

Chibenze:

sorry about ur loose... maybe water or the egg was not fertile.

LKO:


I have discarded all six of them this morning. Water may not b the cause, the hen lay the eggs in the uncompleted room in my compound (d room is roofed). My other hen has started covering her eggs (12). I hope this will not go the same way.

Is it true that once u touch an egg, the hen would not hatch it again? Thank u sir.

Chibenze:

do you have male around that cross ur hen? if no they will not hatch the eggs bcoz it will not be fertile.

that is not true touching the egg will not stop it from hatching except the egg is not fertile or it is crack.
note that the hen doesn't hatch any egg with her mouth as many believe, it only give d eggs heat by covering it once it is time they will hatch on their own. so be properly guided

LKO:


I have one rugged native cock that keeps tormenting the two hen. (Lol). I bought three of them two months ago for domestic keep, I b JJC for this field o.

This ur second comment is an eye opener, thank u. People were telling me that once the eggs are touched, the hen wonth hatch them.

But if the male dont cross them, they cant lay na, why are u saying the eggs are not fertile?

Chibenze:

without a male a hen can lay eggs the presence of the male is to make d eggs fertile. plz note this

LKO:


Thank u for ur explanation.

Hope this my hen would recover in few days time? She is eating well but looks a little weak. I discarded all the eggs dis morning. Or does she needs medication? Sorry for disturbing u.

Chibenze:
she will recover just feed her well that's all

Chibenze:

she will recover just feed her well that's all

LKO:


My teacher I m back o. My sick hen has since recovered, I just discovered she has layed eight eggs in the uncompleted room in my compound and has started covering the eggs since Wednesday. My fear is that, pussy cat may storm that room at night and kill her, cats usually roam at night from compound to compound in my area. I want to move the hen and the eggs to a safer place. I m scared if that movement would spoil the eggs. Please I need your expert opinion. Thank you sir.

Chibenze:
the cat will not harm her. just allow her

LKO:

Cat killed five of my chicks in that same room three weeks ago.

Chibenze:

really... chicks? they are still small guess that was the reason it killed them or where they adult?

also it maybe a rat that kill ur chicks

rastamouse:


Organic is the way to go @Ggfadda.

You are right

rastamouse:


Organic is the way to go @Ggfadda.

You are right

LKO:


It's a cat, when I heard the hen shouting that late night, I hurriedly open my door and I saw the cat speedily dived out of the room. The chicks were three weeks old then. My hen covering eggs in that same room is making me feel worried.

Chibenze:
guess they were still young that is why. try to block the window....removing the hen to another location is a risk (she may not cover the egg).leave her in the room nothing will happen to her....if you are still scared better block the Windows/hole the cat use in entering the room and u can also buy a trap to cat/kill the cat. good luck

Tan45:
Please I am a new turkey rearer and I need some basic knowledge in order to achieve my aim or reproduction of turkeys. I bought three (3) turkeys around April, two females n one male but the male died while growing up. I was able to take good care of the other two females and they have grown now. I have to go buy another grown male just ti help them with fertilization. This is the females 6th months and they haven't started laying eggs and they aren't offering themselves to the male yet. Am such in haste to see them lay eggs so I decided to offer them to the male myself, have been doing this for the last 1week. Pls guide me if I should continue with the act or I should stop. Thanks

Chibenze:
not bad if you force mate but allow 7months plus, they should start laying. 6months is too early... Patient bro

Tan45:


OK bro.thanks for advice, will stick to that. Besides what are the signs to show the turken hens are in heat and ready to mate?