How to Incubate and Hatch Turkey Eggs

My turkeys are still laying! I expected them to slow down or stop by now, but they are still cranking them out! I'm so proud of my girls! Tallow, my Blue Slate hen, started sitting on a batch of eggs about 4 days ago. She has been doing such a good job! I have had to keep an eye out to keep the chickens from hijacking her nest and either laying their own eggs, or kicking hers out of the turkey tee-pee when she goes to take her potty and lunch break. I have been collecting the eggs and incubating them or selling them all season, therefore, trying my best to keep the girls from sitting, much to the ladies' dismay. Because it has been raining so much lately I thought it would be a good time to let her sit. The turkeys free range and unless I keep them put up until they lay in the tee-pee, they make new nests all over the property and every day turns into a perpetual Easter-egg hunt. The constant storms have made it difficult to find them before they get soaked, so a lot of precious eggs have been going to waste.

I have been selling hatching eggs and poults since February. I love sharing my babies with other people. Especially when it is their first turkey raising experience. I think I get just as excited about giving them their babies as they are about getting them! I have had lots of questions, though. There is so little information about raising turkeys available! I thought putting together a post would be helpful. 

The most asked question I get about hatching turkeys eggs is "Is it the same as hatching chicken eggs?"

The answer is: Mostly. The main difference is incubation time. If you have ever hatched chicken eggs, and even if you haven't, you can hatch turkey eggs! 

Egg Care Before Incubation:

Just like any other type of hatching eggs, it usually takes a while to collect enough to make a batch big enough to put in the incubator. DO NOT wash your hatching eggs. Eggs have a protective membrane on the outside of the shell, called the "bloom". Because eggs are porous, this protective coating prevents bacteria from entering the egg while still allowing gas exchange. The baby has to have access to air and moisture to develop. Washing the egg removes this and allows bacteria to enter the egg. I don't even wash the eggs I eat for this reason. If the egg is especially soiled then it should be discarded. Nothing is worse than a rotten egg explosion in your incubator! 

Eggs need to be stored in a secure place that won't get bumped or shaken. It is best for them to be stored between 55-65 degrees Fahrenheit. The eggs need to be turned at least twice daily. Most reputable breeders know this, but it is always best to ask if you are buying hatching eggs. I have found that the best way is to store them in an egg carton, large end up. Never store eggs pointy side up. They are large eggs, but leaving an empty spot between eggs usually allows them to fit well enough to be secure, though not well enough to close the top. Elevate one end of the carton a few inches by propping it one something sturdy, like a thick book or two. A couple of times a day, gently turn the carton around so the other end is elevated. They can also be stored on their side and each egg turned manually. The sooner they are incubated after being laid, the better, but they can be stored like this for up to 2 weeks with good hatchability. If your hatching eggs were bought and either shipped or hand delivered in a vehicle, they have bounced around quite a bit, even when the utmost care has been taken. They should be stored as mentioned above for at least 24 hours to allow any air bubbles from the air sac to settle back into the large end of the egg before being placed in the incubator. 

I always use a pencil to mark each of my eggs with the date when I collect them. I put the date on one side and number each egg on the other, so I can keep track of how they are developing. It comes in handy when candling the eggs later on. If you don't write the date on the eggs, you can always number one side and put an X on the other. This makes it much easier to ensure that each egg is turned appropriately. I also have a chart that I use to keep track of turning, candling, dates, and to write any observations or issues along the way. I know, the science major in me is showing through, but it REALLY helps! I am terrible about thinking that I will remember things, only to realize later that I didn't. It is also handy to keep everything together on one sheet of paper, which is usually stuck to my fridge along with a pencil so I have no excuse not to write things down. ***I will update this post as soon as I figure out how to attach a blank chart with this post that can be printed out. 

Setting Up the Incubator:

Place your incubator on a stable surface where it won't get shaken, vibrated, or bumped. It needs to be in a room that maintains a steady temperature. Do not put incubators in drafty areas or in direct sunlight. In general, near a window is a bad place. It still needs to be easily accessible and somewhere you can keep a close eye on it. I keep mine on an island counter in my kitchen. Its away from the stove, all windows, and air conditioner vents. I can see and access it easily, but it is in a rarely used spot where people won't bump or jostle it. 

Always allow the incubator to run for 24-48 hours to regulate the temperature before eggs are added. Once the eggs are added, the temperature will drop until the eggs come up to temperature. Don't touch the setting! If you have allowed the temperature to regulate for 24 hours before adding eggs, and it is stable, it will return to that temperature once the eggs warm up. Only after a 24 hour period, if the temperature hasn't come back up, should you attempt to adjust it. My biggest tip is to spend a little extra money on a thermometer/hygrometer. They don't cost that much and they make all the difference in the world! Keeping a close eye on the temperature is the best thing you can do to increase the hatchability of your babies. Temperatures lower than 99.5 F or higher than 103 F for more than brief periods can be fatal to embryos. 

Still air incubators should be set to between 100.5 to 101.5 degrees F.

Forced air incubators should be set to between 99.5 to 100 degrees F. I highly recommend forced air!

Humidity should be kept around 50-60% for the first  24 days and increased to around 80% for the last 3. In more humid climates, like here, it may not be necessary to add water to the incubator for the first 25 days. It needs to be more humid during the last few days to allow the poults to break out of the shell and escape from the membrane. 

Incubation Period

The incubation period for turkey eggs is 28 days, versus 21 days for chicken eggs. The eggs need to be turned at least 3 times a day for the first 24 days. Turkey eggs are too large for most turners. I never use an egg turner for them because I was told by someone with a lot of turkey hatching experience, that turkeys hatched from eggs that are incubated on end (like in a turner) have a tendency to be more prone to leg and hip issues. Because there is so little information on raising turkeys it is difficult to verify this, but I prefer to incubate them on their side and hand turn just to be safe. Also, because the eggs are hand turned 3 times a day, more attention is paid to the temperature, humidity, and general goings on with how things are progressing. Always wash you hands before handling eggs to prevent bacteria contamination that could kill the embryos. I usually candle around day 14 and again on day 20, but this varies slightly. It is tempting to candle constantly, but the more often you do it the higher the chances that something happens to harm the egg. It is really best to limit it to twice. I love to see the babies hopping around in there (usually more active than chicken embryos) but I mainly candle to get any undeveloping eggs out before they turn into rotten egg bombs. 

On day 25 your eggs need to go on "Lock down". I like to turn them number side up so I can keep an eye on which eggs are doing what. No more turning! The babies need to get into hatching position and absorb the rest of the yolk to prepare for the big outside world. Decrease the temperature to 98.5 degrees F and increase humidity to 80%. After that, Leave It Alone! That is easier said than done! My son always repeats what I spent a large part of his life telling him. "You look with your eyes, not with your hands." Opening the incubator causes temperature and humidity fluctuations, which are always bad during incubation, but can be especially detrimental during the last few days. Maintain a close eye on the temperature and humidity. If the humidity gets too low, the poults may become shrink wrapped inside the egg. If the humidity gets too high the poults can drown inside the shell. If the temperature is too high when the humidity is that high it can be fatal. If there is condensation forming on the viewing window the humidity is probably too high, although this is rarely a problem. Low humidity is usually the issue. A tip for those using styrofoam table top models: If your humidity keeps dropping quickly, try putting a little weight (a book works well) on top to keep it shut tightly. They tend to bleed moisture out of the cracks. That being said, the babies need oxygen (throughout the whole incubation period) so don't plug all of the holes! Wet sponges placed in the incubator may help, as well. Surface area, not depth, of the water source is key. 

Many times, the poults will begin hatching, or all may even hatch, on day 27. Most should hatch by day 28. It isn't nearly as common to have poults that hatch late as it is with chicken chicks. Turkey poults can be left in the incubator for 24 hours without food or water. I've read up to 48 hours, but this makes me nervous. Opening the incubator to get poults out will cause a temperature and humidity fluctuation, which is bad for the rest of the unhatched eggs. It is best to let them all hatch before opening the incubator to remove any. That being said, I usually get mine out periodically before all are hatched. I do this because I incubate a large amount of eggs at a time, and poults tend to be really active and clumsy, bumping all of the rest of the eggs around. I don't suggest others do this, because all experts explicitly say not to, but I haven't seen ill effects. I don't do it often, and when I do it is done very quickly. Maybe I have just been lucky. Its probably a case of being better to do as I say, not as I do... so many things are! LOL 

Have the brooder set up and ready before hatch time to make sure the temperature is stable before the babies are added. When the poults have dried and fluffed up (and preferably, all of their hatch-mates have hatched) they can be placed in the nice, warm, draft free brooder where its high protein starter and warm water with added nutrient/electrolyte supplement are waiting! 

The final step when hatching turkey eggs? Enjoy your new babies! I can hear a sweet baby from my latest batch chirping from inside its egg as I type!

Time to go watch the miracle of life happen right in front of my eyes. It never ceases to amaze me! 

Another post to come on how to care for new turkey poults.