turkey farming

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I have two turkeys that my wife has named and thus we won't be eating them. but I was curious as to when they breed and the hen starts to lay. they are approximately 4 mo old. I am almost certain that I have a male and female as one has a large waddle and much redder looking features and he is much more vibrant in color than the other. both are very tame as we have raised them from chicks and have been in close contact with them. also the one I believe to be the female is slightly smaller than the male. so my question is when are they mature enough to start mating? at what age would the female start laying eggs.? for how long do they lay eggs.? do turkeys hide their eggs like i have been told? thanks for any information you can give me

-- d.l.s. (snod@texramp.net), September 12, 1999

Answers

Hi, I wouldnt count on your turkeys ever being capable of mating- depends on their breed, but many turkeys today have been so bred to produce such a large breast that they become physically incapable of breeding.I have had turkeys lay eggs though- at about age yours are, and they appear pretty careless of them. It is hard enough to get laying hens who are all set with nests etc, to hatch their eggs- good luck with turkeys!!cindy

-- cindy miller (camiller@portup.com), September 12, 1999.

I have a bronze male and two females and they do breed and produce eggs and will set and even hatch the eggs out but you have to watch real carefull because almost everything will snack on the babies, from cats, crows, dogs, rats, coons, possums and just about anything else. This year I had a nice nestfull of about 15 young but before I could get to them and get them penned up by themselves they were gone, victims of a roving coon and yes coons come out in the daytime.

-- Anita Janes (rambo@midamerica.net), September 29, 1999.

I have raised turkeys for a number of years now and find that the white ones are great layers and seem to start breeding around 6 months of age. Only, they aren't very good moms. They have a tendency to squash their young! Also, you need to make sure you have a 'smart' tom. I've had a few toms who didn't know which end was which and we never did get any fertile eggs!! And, he literally suffocated one of the hens trying!! He sure tasted good.... I have had great success this year in egg hatching, I gathered up a few turkey eggs at a time and would slip them under one of the bantam hens and they have raised some wonderful turkey chicks (albet, a little confused about being a turkey!). Good luck!

-- sissy sylvester (jerreleene@hotmail.com), October 28, 1999.

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