Learn how to confidently manage hatching your own turkey eggs at home, and achieve high success rates even from your very first hatch. This article will walk you through every step, from egg to adorable poult.
A couple of years ago, while saving turkey eggs to hatch for the first time, I happened to run into a local homesteading friend at the feed store. We chatted about our various homesteading projects, and he wished me well with those turkey eggs. “Theyre wicked hard to hatch, from what I hear.”
In fact, my experience ended up thankfully being the opposite. That first batch of eggs went on to have a 100% hatch rate, and every little poult was healthy and robust.
With many successful hatches of turkey poults behind me now, I can say that this idea of turkey eggs being difficult to incubate is just not something Ive found to hold up. In my experience, turkey eggs are easier, more resilient, and hatch more quickly from pip-to-poult, than any other poultry species except quail.
If youve been considering hatching out your own turkey poults, I would heartily encourage you to give it a go! This hatching guide is based on my own successful experience, and I hope you find it helpful.
Incubating and hatching turkey eggs at home can be an extremely rewarding experience. There’s something magical about seeing new life emerge from an egg you’ve nurtured. However, it does require dedication, patience, and adhering to some specific conditions. In this comprehensive guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about incubating turkey eggs successfully.
An Overview of Turkey Egg Incubation
The incubation period for turkey eggs is typically 28 days However, incubation time can vary from 27 to 29 days depending on factors like egg size, breed, and incubation conditions
Here’s a quick overview of turkey egg incubation:
- Incubation Temperature: 99.5°F (37.5°C)
- Incubation Humidity: 60%
- Turn Eggs: 3-5 times per day until day 25
- Candle Eggs: Day 7 and 14
- Lockdown: Day 25
- Expected Hatch: Day 28
Pay close attention to temperature and humidity levels throughout the incubation process. Even small fluctuations outside the ideal range can impact hatchability.
Selecting Quality Turkey Eggs
The starting point for any successful hatch is getting good quality fertile eggs. Here are some tips for selecting turkey eggs:
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Source eggs from reputable breeders or farms where you can see the breeding stock
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Choose eggs that are clean, normal shaped, and free from cracks or flaws.
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Handle eggs gently to avoid jarring the embryo.
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Let eggs rest 12-24 hours before setting so contents can settle.
Turkey eggs are best set in an incubator within 7 days of being laid. Fertility starts dropping off quickly after this. Avoid eggs more than 14 days old.
Setting Up the Incubator
An incubator provides the consistent temperature, humidity, and ventilation turkey eggs need. Here are some tips for setting up an incubator before adding eggs:
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Clean and disinfect incubator thoroughly before each use.
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Allow incubator to run for 24 hours to stabilize temperature and humidity.
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Adjust incubator to recommended settings (99.5°F and 60% humidity).
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Ensure incubator can maintain proper conditions for at least 12 hours.
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Warm eggs to room temperature before setting in the incubator.
Maintaining proper incubation conditions is critical. Invest in good quality thermometers and hygrometers to monitor conditions.
Turning the Eggs
Turkey eggs must be turned at least 3 times per day during incubation to prevent the embryo from sticking to the shell. Here are some tips for turning:
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Turn eggs smoothly an odd number of times per day.
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Rotate eggs 180° each turn. Mark eggs with an X and O to keep track.
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Stop turning eggs on day 25 and lay eggs on their sides.
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Washing hands thoroughly before turning eggs reduces bacteria.
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Automated egg turners are convenient for frequent turning.
Turning provides exercise for the developing embryo and prevents deformities. Stop turning 3 days before hatch for lockdown.
Monitoring Humidity
Humidity directly impacts the hatchability of turkey eggs. Use these tips to maintain proper moisture levels:
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Ideal incubation humidity for poults is around 60%.
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Increase humidity slightly during hatching.
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Add water to incubator reservoirs as needed.
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Monitor humidity daily with a hygrometer.
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Watch for proper air cell size when candling eggs.
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Add water slowly to avoid drops in temperature.
Proper humidity keeps the egg from drying out or becoming too wet. Both scenarios can impact the hatch.
Candling the Eggs
Candling allows you to monitor embryo development and identify any nonviable eggs. Follow these candling tips:
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Candle eggs twice during incubation – days 7 and 14.
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Candle in darkened room with bright focused light source.
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Remove and discard any eggs that appear infertile or have stopped developing.
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Avoid excessively disturbing developing embryos with light.
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Mark eggs that need to be rechecked.
Candling removes dead eggs before they rot and allow you to assess incubation conditions.
Initiating Lockdown
Lockdown is the final stage of incubation when the hatch begins. Follow these tips:
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Stop turning eggs and lay them on their sides after 25 days.
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Increase humidity to around 75% for hatching.
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Maintain temperature at 99.5°F.
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Resist the urge to assist pipping eggs.
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Wait 12-24 hours after first pip to remove poults.
Lockdown allows the embryos to get into hatching position. Increased humidity keeps membranes pliable for hatching.
Monitoring the Hatch
Hatching day is exciting after a long incubation. Here’s what to expect and monitor:
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Listen for pipping sounds as chicks break through the air cell.
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First pips often occur on day 27 or 28.
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Wait for chicks to fully unzip shells before assisting.
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Allow chicks to fully absorb yolks before removing from incubator.
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Expect hatchings over a 12-48 hour period.
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Discard any unhatched eggs after 48 hours.
Watching poults hatch is rewarding! Avoid helping hatchlings emerge to prevent deformities.
Caring for Poults After Hatching
Newly hatched poults require some special care:
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Leave poults in incubator until fluffy and mostly dry.
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Feed and water poults immediately using chick starter feed.
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Provide 95°F brooding temperature for the first week.
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Use medicated chick starter to prevent disease.
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Check poults for pasty vents indicating dehydration.
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Provide extra supervision and protection from predators.
With attentive care in the first days of life, poults can thrive into adulthood. Enjoy raising your new turkey flock!
Key Takeaways on Incubating Turkey Eggs
Here are some key takeaways on incubating turkey eggs:
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Allow 28 days for turkeys eggs to hatch.
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Maintain 99.5°F temperature and 60% humidity.
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Turn eggs 3-5 times daily until day 25.
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Candle eggs on days 7 and 14 to check development.
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Increase humidity at lockdown on day 25.
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Let poults fully emerge from shells before assisting.
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Provide immediate food, water and heat for hatchlings.
Following proper incubation techniques will help ensure a successful hatch of healthy poults. Be patient and let nature take its course when the hatch begins. Enjoy raising your new turkeys!
Storing turkey eggs for hatching
Store your hatching eggs for as few days as possible, but while you do, be sure to keep them in a cool, humid location. If you have a basement, thats almost always the perfect place. Aim for a temperature of 50-65 degrees.
Gathering Turkey Eggs for Hatching
Gather turkey eggs frequently, if youre wanting to hatch them in an incubator. Some turkeys lay reliably at the same time of day (mine always have laid in the afternoon), while others can be less predictable. While youre collecting eggs for hatching, its worth checking their nesting area every few hours if possible.
Turkeys have a strong instinct to hide their nests, so if youre pretty sure you should be seeing eggs but arent, its worth taking some time to observe your turkey hens closely. Are they sneaking off to the edge of the yard every day? They may be hiding their nest. They love to lay next to rocks or fallen branches, and if dry leaves are available for cover, they often tuck their eggs in when leaving the nest. Those spotted eggs can prove tricky to spot, but once youve found the nest, chances are your hen will return to the same spot each day.
When to Collect Turkey Eggs, and When to Hatch Them Out
FAQ
Are turkey eggs hard to incubate?
How long do turkey eggs take to hatch in an incubator?
What day is lockdown for turkey eggs?
How long can turkey eggs sit out before incubating?
How long does it take to hatch turkey eggs in an incubator?
Follow this 28 day incubation process, and you can learn the proper temperature, humidity, and time to take when hatching turkey eggs in an incubator. Before long, you will be hatching eggs like a pro. Be sure to check out this post on properly cleaning an incubator for the best success rate when hatching out eggs.
How long do turkey eggs need to be incubated?
Incubators are made to maintain the proper environment that the eggs need in order to hatch. Turkey eggs must be incubated for 28 days before hatching. Here are 4 ways to incubate turkey eggs: A commercial incubator can be used to maintain optimal temperature and humidity levels for turkey eggs.
How do you incubate a turkey egg?
Store the eggs in a cool place, such as a pantry or cupboard, until the incubator is ready. Cool temperatures arrest the turkey’s growth. Let the eggs warm back up to room temperature for 4 to 8 hours before incubating them. Most likely, your incubator is a forced air incubator, which has a fan that distributes air evenly.
How many turkey eggs can you incubate?
You can incubate as many as 80 turkey eggs in this incubator. If you want to have good success with incubating your turkey eggs, you must have the basics down before anything else. So let’s talk the basics of incubating turkey eggs: Incubating turkey eggs is an exercise in patience. Turkeys will hatch after about 28 days.