EP Rabbitry and Homestead
Chirping
Beginning in March 2022, I bought bourbon red turkey chicks from my local feed store. When they reached about the 6-month old mark, my hens started to lay eggs. This was in early fall, and we only got one once in awhile. By the end of October, we had collected enough eggs to incubate, which we did. Beautiful chicks hatched Thanksgiving weekend. The hens continue to lay, so we hatched out another batch on New Years Day.
Fast forward a bit, we kept 2 hens from each of these batches and rehomed the toms. Everyone stopped laying and the end of December, but picked right back up at the end of February. In the late spring/early summer, we were getting 3-4 eggs per day from 6 hens. They slowed up a little in August, but they are picking back up again. Also, during this time my tom lost all of his chest feathers from rubbing against the fence. They have grown back, only to have him lose his beautiful white tail feathers. These are being replaced by the darker brown feathers.
So my questions are:
1. I was always under the impression that turkeys only mated in spring, and hens will only lay a clutch of eggs, then begin sitting. Since I am taking the eggs, does this cause the hen to lay more trying to get her clutch?
2. I have at least 2 hens that like to lay on eggs, chicken eggs, in the chicken coop in the chicken nest boxes. Turkeys and chickens free range during the day and the turkey hens can get into the chicken coup. This is not hurting anything, but I feel like my turkey hens have "gone broody?" If I lock them out of the chicken coop, I end up playing Easter egg hunt for all the eggs.The chickens are very put out that the turkey hens invade their space! LOL
I would like to add that I gave the turkey hen a clutch of eggs to sit on. They were turkey eggs. She sat on them for 1 day, then abandoned them for non-fertile eggs, which she will remove from the nest box it was laid in, and move it to a place more convenient for her.
3. I do have 2 hens that will lay in the turkey coup, occasionally with a chicken egg. Does the chicken think this is a new nest for them? I do occasionally find a turkey egg directly under the turkey roosting bars which leads me to thinks that the turkey is laying while on roost?
I have tried to research extensively on this, but all I find is what I already know. There is not a lot out there on turkey hen behavior. My tom is the stereotype of a turkey tom, except that he is sweet and loving. Only got mean to another tom at the beginning of mating season. Any answers is greatly appreciated! Pics of my crazy girls in question.
Fast forward a bit, we kept 2 hens from each of these batches and rehomed the toms. Everyone stopped laying and the end of December, but picked right back up at the end of February. In the late spring/early summer, we were getting 3-4 eggs per day from 6 hens. They slowed up a little in August, but they are picking back up again. Also, during this time my tom lost all of his chest feathers from rubbing against the fence. They have grown back, only to have him lose his beautiful white tail feathers. These are being replaced by the darker brown feathers.
So my questions are:
1. I was always under the impression that turkeys only mated in spring, and hens will only lay a clutch of eggs, then begin sitting. Since I am taking the eggs, does this cause the hen to lay more trying to get her clutch?
2. I have at least 2 hens that like to lay on eggs, chicken eggs, in the chicken coop in the chicken nest boxes. Turkeys and chickens free range during the day and the turkey hens can get into the chicken coup. This is not hurting anything, but I feel like my turkey hens have "gone broody?" If I lock them out of the chicken coop, I end up playing Easter egg hunt for all the eggs.The chickens are very put out that the turkey hens invade their space! LOL
I would like to add that I gave the turkey hen a clutch of eggs to sit on. They were turkey eggs. She sat on them for 1 day, then abandoned them for non-fertile eggs, which she will remove from the nest box it was laid in, and move it to a place more convenient for her.
3. I do have 2 hens that will lay in the turkey coup, occasionally with a chicken egg. Does the chicken think this is a new nest for them? I do occasionally find a turkey egg directly under the turkey roosting bars which leads me to thinks that the turkey is laying while on roost?
I have tried to research extensively on this, but all I find is what I already know. There is not a lot out there on turkey hen behavior. My tom is the stereotype of a turkey tom, except that he is sweet and loving. Only got mean to another tom at the beginning of mating season. Any answers is greatly appreciated! Pics of my crazy girls in question.