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I started my turkey journey 3 years ago and currently own a flock of 8 Bourbon Red Heritage turkeys which includes 2 toms and 6 hens. Since toms are so protective and territorial, I do have to house the toms individually in separate areas with their own group of hens. If they were not separated, it would be a constant fighting match which is not safe for the toms or anyone near the area.
As the saying goes, “Good things come to those who wait.” Every year my Bourbon Red hens start to lay around the beginning of April. After the first week of laying I start collecting the eggs and setting them in our house at room temperature. I do not wash the eggs, but will take a paper towel or plastic egg brush to clean off any dirt or feces. Washing the eggs will remove the bloom which protects the inside of the egg from bacteria. I like to use an open egg carton to temporarily store the eggs as they are always available. To prevent the embryos from sticking to the shell membrane, I alternate propping up one end of the egg carton every 12 hours.
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After collecting eggs for about a week I have enough eggs to fill my incubator. I use a nurture right 360 incubator. Meyer Hatchery also has a wonderful selection of incubators to fit your hatching needs. I prepared my incubator by sanitizing it first and then let it run for a full 24 hours to make sure that it was functioning properly by maintaining the correct temperature and humidity percentage. For turkey eggs, your incubator humidity will start off at a stable 55-60% and the temperature, if using a circulated air incubator, is 99 degrees. If using a still air incubator you will want to increase the temperature 2-3 degrees more. Once the incubator is ready to go I mark each of the 16 eggs I have collected with a soft pencil, one side with a number and the other side with an x, allowing me to keep track while rotating the eggs each day. In my experience, I have a better hatch rate by hand turning, but automatic turners are fine to use as well.
Once the eggs are set, turning the eggs 180 degrees 3-5 times a day is essential. Turning the eggs prevents the developing poults from sticking to the shell of the egg.
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Candling your eggs is a great way to check to see if your eggs are cracked in any way, fertile, and developing. Cracked or non-developing eggs should be disposed of. How do we know the eggs are fertile and developing? When candling or holding a bright light to your eggs in a darker room, you should be able to see spider-like formations in the egg around day 7. This shows that your eggs are fertile and developing. Clear eggs are infertile and should be removed from the incubator. I typically have a couple that I’m not 100% sure on and I will leave those to check when I candle a second time on day 15. By day 15, candling should make it very clear which eggs are developing and which questionable eggs are not.
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Turkey poults take 28 days to complete the incubation process. After the first 24 days of turning your eggs multiple times a day and maintaining the proper temperature and humidity, it is time for what we like to call “lock down.” On day 24 you will stop turning the eggs ( remove the turning rack if using an automatic turner), increase the humidity in the incubator to 64% and wait for the first pip. A pip is the first break in the egg shell. Every batch of hatching eggs is a bit different. I have had eggs pip on day 27 and then I’ve had eggs start to pip at the end of day 28.
Day 28 and we see the first pip! It is important to make sure the humidity maintains 64% and does not go much higher or lower than that. Too much humidity can cause your poults to essentially drown and too little humidity makes it impossible for little ones to break out of the shell. You can easily increase your humidity by adding more water to the incubator and decrease it by opening the vents until the humidity is just right.
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Be patient as your little ones start to emerge from their eggs. It is a lot of work for them and it can take them several hours to make their grand entrance. It may look as though many of them are having trouble, but resist the urge to assist them in the hatching process. Intervening can cause damage to the new hatchling and even death. Another thing to keep in mind is they will not all hatch at the same time. Once the first poult hatches it is as if they serve as the incubator cheerleader, encouraging the others to follow suit. I like to give all the eggs a full two days from the first pip to make their appearance. After two days and all hatchlings are dry I will transfer them into a prepared brooder space.
My first hatch of the year I had 14 out of 16 heritage poults hatch. I consider that a success! The incubating and hatching process is such a fascinating and exciting experience for the young and old alike. Every batch of fertile eggs is a bit different so be patient, enjoy the process, pay close attention to the humidity, temperature and quality of your eggs, and you are sure to be successful as well.
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Incubating and hatching turkey eggs requires care and attention to detail. One of the most important factors is maintaining the proper temperature throughout the 28-day incubation period. The right incubation temperature is crucial for the healthy development of the embryo inside the egg. In this comprehensive guide, we will cover everything you need to know about what temperature to incubate turkey eggs.
Why Temperature Matters During Turkey Egg Incubation
Temperature impacts the turkey embryo in several key ways
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It affects the rate of development The embryo develops more quickly at higher temperatures
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It impacts metabolism and growth. Warmer temperatures increase the embryo’s metabolism and growth rate.
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It influences hatchability and poult quality. Correct temperatures lead to higher hatch rates and stronger poults. Incorrect temps can lead to embryo death.
Even small fluctuations above or below the optimal incubation temperature can negatively affect the developing embryos That’s why controlling and monitoring the temperature is so essential.
Recommended Turkey Egg Incubation Temperatures
The consensus among turkey incubation experts is that 99.5°F (37.5°C) is the ideal temperature for incubating turkey eggs.
Minor variations of about 0.5°F higher or lower are acceptable. However, significant or prolonged deviations from the 99.5°F standard can compromise incubation results.
Here are some key temperature recommendations:
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Set your incubator to maintain a constant 99.5°F air temperature.
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The temperature inside the egg itself will run about 0.5°F higher than the air by the end of incubation.
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The eggshell surface temperature, which reflects internal egg temp, should be around 100°F.
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Allow for a 0.5°F drop after adding eggs, but boost the temp back to 99.5°F within a few hours.
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Keep the temperature as stable as possible, avoiding fluctuations beyond 0.5°F.
Why 99.5°F is the Optimal Turkey Incubation Temperature
There are several reasons why 99.5°F became the standardized optimum temperature for artificial turkey egg incubation:
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It matches the natural body temperature of breeding turkey hens. Like chickens, turkeys maintain a body temperature around 105°F. This transfers warmth to the eggs.
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It aligns with the temperature inside turkey eggs incubated beneath hens. Studies have shown natural nest temperatures around 99.5°F.
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It matches the optimal developmental rate of turkey embryos. At 99.5°F, turkey embryos develop at the proper pace to maximize hatchability.
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It fits the increased metabolic heat output of turkey eggs. The large turkey embryo generates more heat than a chicken embryo, for example.
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Turkey hatcheries found 99.5°F delivered the highest poult quality and hatch rates. It became the industry standard through trial and error.
So while you might see a range of acceptable temperatures suggested, 99.5°F gives turkey embryos the best incubation environment.
How Temperature Impacts the Developing Turkey Embryo
To understand why 99.5°F is ideal, it helps to know how temperature affects the developing turkey embryo:
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Higher temps accelerate embryonic development, but too hot can be deadly.
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Warmer environments increase the metabolic rate and growth of the embryo.
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Cooler temperatures slow development and metabolism, reducing growth.
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Fluctuating temperatures can stress embryos and cause developmental issues.
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Extreme highs or lows will kill embryos. Turkey eggs thrive in a narrow temperature range.
The turkey embryo generates increasing amounts of metabolic heat as it grows, adding to the heat in the egg. By mid-incubation, the embryo produces more heat than is lost through the shell.
If the incubator temperature is too low, the embryo won’t develop quickly enough and may die. If it’s too high, the embryo will overheat and perish. Either extreme can lead to lowered hatch rates.
Temperature Differences Between Broiler and Turkey Incubation
While the basics are similar, there are some key differences between incubating broiler chicken eggs versus turkey eggs:
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Turkey eggs require 28 days vs 21 days for chicken eggs to hatch.
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Turkey eggs are larger, so the embryo generates more metabolic heat.
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The recommended turkey incubation temperature is 99.5°F vs 99.6°F for chickens.
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More cooling and airflow are needed in turkey incubators to offset the extra embryo heat.
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Turkey machines should have lower egg densities than chicken incubators.
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Turkey embryos are less tolerant of overheating than broiler embryos.
The increased heat output of the larger turkey embryos makes temperature control more critical. Even minor overheating can sharply reduce turkey hatchability.
How to Monitor Temperature During Turkey Incubation
To successfully maintain the proper 99.5°F temperature, you need to monitor the incubator and egg temperatures. Here are some tips:
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Observe the incubator’s digital display to check the air temperature.
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Use a thermometer placed centrally to verify air temps.
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Measure eggshell temps with an infrared thermometer gun.
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Track real-time temps with data loggers and sensors.
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Watch embryo growth rates and behavior for signs of incorrect temperatures.
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Perform periodic hatch assessments to identify temperature issues.
With diligent monitoring, you can catch any deviations from the optimal 99.5°F and make adjustments to get temperatures back on track.
6 Tips for Controlling Turkey Incubation Temperatures
Here are 6 tips to help control turkey egg incubation temperatures:
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Operate incubators in temperature-controlled rooms around 70°F.
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Pre-warm incubators for 24 hours before adding eggs.
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Increase airflow and fan speeds if eggs are overheating.
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Add more water to raise humidity if eggs are cooling too much.
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Adjust thermostats in small 0.5° increments to fine-tune temps.
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Only make changes after monitoring trends over time, not reacting to momentary blips.
What Happens if Turkey Incubation Temperatures Are Too High?
Incubating turkey eggs above 99.5°F can have negative consequences including:
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Accelerated embryo growth, resulting in deformities or weakened poults
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Overheating embryos leading to death
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Increased early and mid-development mortality
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Lower hatch rates
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Weaker, smaller poults that fail to thrive after hatching
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Higher poult abnormalities and physical defects
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Dehydration of embryos as they attempt to cool themselves
The larger turkey embryo produces around 15% more metabolic heat than a chicken embryo during incubation. This makes turkey eggs more vulnerable to overheating issues. Even a 1-2 degree temperature increase above 99.5°F can significantly raise turkey embryo mortality.
What Happens if Turkey Incubation Temperatures Are Too Low?
If turkey incubation temperatures drop below 99.5°F, possible problems include:
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Slower embryo growth and development
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Weak or stunted poults with unhealed navels
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Lower hatchability and higher late-term mortality
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Failure of embryos to pip shells due to lack of strength
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Physical abnormalities in poults
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Increased incubation time required
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Weaker immune function in poults
Cooler temperatures reduce the turkey embryo’s metabolism and growth. This makes them less developed and robust by the hatch stage. Temps below 97°F can be fatal.
Maintaining Stable Turkey Incubation Temperatures
Fluctuating temperatures during turkey incubation can be just as harmful as constant excessive highs or lows. Embryos develop best with stable temps. Here are tips for minimizing temperature swings:
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Site incubators away from windows, vents, doors that affect room temps.
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Ensure incubators aren’t overloaded beyond their cooling capacity.
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Use data loggers to identify cycles of temperature instability.
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Make minor thermostat and humidity adjustments to balance temps.
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Ensure airflow and fans are operating properly.
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Keep the room housing incubators at a constant temperature.
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Consider upgrading to an incubator with superior insulation and electronics.
The general rule is to keep fluctuations within 0.5°F of the 99.5°F target. Quick changes in temperature of just a couple degrees can stress embryos. By the halfway point, constant temps become crucial.
Achieving excellent turkey hatchability requires holding the incubation temperature steady at 99.5°F, with only minor variations. Lower or higher temps, as well as fluctuating temperatures, put the developing embryos at risk. Close monitoring and control are essential. The effort is well worth it for a successful hatch of healthy poults!
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One Trick to Greatly Improve Turkey Egg Hatch Rates
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