Turkey laying eggs after a clutch already hatched

Rwhitt

In the Brooder
Jun 11, 2024
8
17
24
So I have a Narragansett female that has successfully hatched 3 chicks from a nest she had laid under a brush pile beside our shop. Afterwards, we kicked everyone else out & moved them into our coop with a small connected yard so the poults would be safe from predator birds. They are about 2 1/2 - 3ish weeks old. This morning when I was feeding them I noticed 2 turkey eggs in one of the nesting spots!
Surely those eggs aren't fertilized if she hasn't been around our Tom in that long of a time? And I didn't think turkeys would lay more than one clutch a year. I mean, it's June... isn't it kinda late for turkey to be laying? Especially if they're currently looking after the chicks that just hatched?
Anyone have any knowledge about turkey laying habits?
 
So I have a Narragansett female that has successfully hatched 3 chicks from a nest she had laid under a brush pile beside our shop. Afterwards, we kicked everyone else out & moved them into our coop with a small connected yard so the poults would be safe from predator birds. They are about 2 1/2 - 3ish weeks old. This morning when I was feeding them I noticed 2 turkey eggs in one of the nesting spots!
Surely those eggs aren't fertilized if she hasn't been around our Tom in that long of a time? And I didn't think turkeys would lay more than one clutch a year. I mean, it's June... isn't it kinda late for turkey to be laying? Especially if they're currently looking after the chicks that just hatched?
Anyone have any knowledge about turkey laying habits?
Every turkey is its own individual with its own quirks.

Normally if a hen is allowed to go broody, hatch and raise her poults, she will only lay one clutch that year.

I had a Royal Palm hen that hatched her poults and started laying eggs in the same nest that she hatched her poults only one week after hatching them.

A Blue Slate hen with her own clutch of eggs eventually adopted the Palm's poults.

That particular Royal Palm was not a good mother but she was a good layer.

If your hen has not been with a tom since going broody, any eggs she lays are unlikely to be fertile.
 

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