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.
Turkey eggs typically take 28 days to hatch when incubated properly, This 28 day incubation period is critical for the healthy development of the embryos inside the eggs, Here are some key things to know about hatching turkey eggs
Incubation Temperature
Maintaining the correct temperature is vital for hatching success Turkey eggs should be kept at 1005°F (38°C) continuously throughout the 28 day incubation period. Even small fluctuations above or below this temperature range can impact the hatch rate.
Using an incubator with good temperature regulation and monitoring the temperature daily is important. Some small incubators may struggle to maintain 100.5°F exactly, so monitoring and adjusting as needed is key.
Incubation Humidity
Proper humidity levels must also be maintained. For the first 25 days, turkey eggs should be incubated at around 55-60% relative humidity. In the last 3 days before hatching, known as the “lockdown” period, humidity should be increased to around 70%.
High humidity helps the poults hatch out of their shells. Monitoring humidity with a hygrometer and adding water as needed is important, especially in the lockdown period.
Turning the Eggs
Turning the eggs is vital in the first 25 days. Turkey eggs should be turned at least 3 times per day, making sure to fully rotate them 180°. Turning prevents the embryo from sticking to the shell.
Stop turning the eggs 3 days before the expected hatch date. The poults will move into hatching position during the lockdown period.
Hatching Period
It takes time for the poults to fully hatch. They will pip through their shell and can take 12-24 hours to fully emerge. Resist the urge to help them out! This pipping and hatching process is crucial for their lung development.
Once the hatching is complete, the poults can be removed to a brooder after they have fully dried off and fluffed up, usually within 12-24 hours after hatching.
Signs of Hatching Issues
If incubating turkey eggs, be on the lookout for any issues. Fertility problems, temperatures fluctuations, and improper humidity can all result in failed hatches. Candling the eggs around day 10 can check for developing embryos.
Unhatched eggs should be examined for signs like dried membranes or unhealed pip marks that may indicate what prevented hatching. This can help improve success for future hatches.
In Summary
Following proper procedures is key to hatching healthy poults after the 28 day turkey egg incubation period. Maintaining proper temperature and humidity, turning the eggs correctly, and monitoring development are essential for success. With good management, turkey eggs can successfully transition from incubated egg to hatched poult!
Candling turkey eggs on day 7
You should see a beautiful network of veins, radiating out from a tiny heart in the center. Its really amazing to see. If the egg is clear, its safe to toss this one, that means it wasnt fertile to start with. If you see a dark ring, but no network of veins, thats an egg that started to develop, but stopped for some reason.
That ring is called a blood ring, and those eggs should be tossed as well. If you have any doubt, its ok to mark those questionable eggs, and check them again in two days. If theyre still not looking like the others, they really should be tossed, so that you dont risk harboring bacteria that could affect the healthy eggs.
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
How long does a turkey egg take to hatch?
What day is lockdown for turkey eggs?
How many times a year do turkeys lay eggs?
How long do baby turkeys stay with their mother?
When do turkey eggs hatch?
Turkeys will hatch after about 28 days. Sometimes they can pop out earlier, sometimes later. It just depends on the egg! You’ll find that some clutches of eggs will hatch at about the same time and others will hatch days apart. Your eggs will need to be consistently incubated at 37.5°C (99.5°F) up until 4 days before hatching.
How long should you wait for a Turkey to hatch?
Wait 3 more days without turning the eggs for the turkeys to hatch. The turkeys will be in hatching position during this time, so don’t move the eggs at all. Watch the eggs for cracks. Puffy little turkeys will come out healthy and dry on the 28th day.
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 does a turkey egg last?
If you place your eggs in storage, you should add one hour for each day that the egg is stored. Therefore, when hatching turkey eggs, the normal incubation period lasts 28 days. If the egg has been in storage, say, for two days, then the incubation period would last 28 days and two hours.