AUSTRALIAN POULTRY FORUM™

just wondering if I can use a turkey to incubate chook eggs?

I don't see why not BUT with the difference in the shell density of both birds you might find the weight of the turkey to heavy and end up with scrambled chicken eggs rather than chicks.

short answer - yes

long answer - as above - and recommend you take the eggs and replace with fake ones 3 days before hatching - then carefully put the chicks back under at night once they are fully fluffed out - be warned tho that the weight of the turkey can crush the chicks - give it a go tho - I know some that use their turkeys religiously

you can put goose eggs under them too - then watch their faces when their babies start swimming

I had a broody turkey but i needed her eggs so i put 6 Japanese Bantam eggs (really Small) under her and she hatched them all. you just have to watch out when they hatch that she does not kill the chicks. i ended up with three still alive and one with a broken leg. not because she was violent but because of her size and accidentaly steping on them.

That would be a sight to see a poult with bantam chicks those 3 have a real story to tell

Ok thank you everyone I have put 6 eggs under my female turkey but I will take your advice and watch them when they hatch

She has settled down on the eggs, so far so good

Good Luck!!!

I think if you have one unexplained death I'd be removing the babies. Generally babies are relative in size to their parents and the larger the parent the larger the babies. A heavy parent can sit and squash young without realising it, or be standing on one without realising. Hopefully the turkey has raised young before so at least she's got an idea what its all about.

We had a determined bantam raise and hatch a turkey when I was young.

She was a great mum and when older the two used to sit on the perch together and she would have one little wing over his side (probably caused by him trying to get under her ). She would call him for treats and he would lumber over. Unfortunately when he grew to adulthood he took a dislike to other males (including my Dad) and he had to go.

We all loved him though, especially making him gobble if you gobbled to him!

Unless you've had a gorgeous tom all puffed up, snood dangling, and gobbling while he struts around the place ...you haven't lived!

When they hatch = photos please




LooLoo