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How to Hatch Turkey Eggs in an Incubator: 8 Steps (with Pictures)

How to Hatch Turkey Eggs in an

Incubator
Questions and Answers

If the eggs under your turkey hen(s) aren't hatching well, you can move them
into an incubator for better hatching success. Since turkey eggs have different
needs from chicken eggs, there are several things you need to know in order to
increase your chances of having fluffy little turkeys running around. Find out
more after the jump.

Steps

Set up your incubator at least 24 hours before you put the eggs in.

Fill the lower channel with water to ensure adequate humidity.

Place two thermometers in the incubator. Make sure they are elevated to half the
height of the eggs (usually about 1 inch). You can get disposable plastic cups and cut

them to the desired height to act as platforms for the thermometers.

Attach a fabric extension to the bulb of one thermometer and make sure that
the other end is in the water channel underneath. This thermometer, called a

wet-bulb thermometer, will give you a rough idea of the humidity in the incubator, but only if
the fabric is wet.

Make sure the temperature is stable at or around 99 degrees Fahrenheit (~37

degrees Celsius), and the wet-bulb temperature stays between 85 and 100

degrees Fahrenheit (~29 and 37.5 degrees Celsius).

Mark the eggs with a regular pencil. Put an "X" on one side and an "O" on the
other (when the eggs are laying flat on their sides). This is so that when you turn them,

you'll be able to turn them exactly 180 degrees. Do not use a colored pencil, a pen, or a
marker - these contain chemicals that will harm the turkey through the shell.

Place the eggs gently in the incubator. Have them all with the same letter facing up. For
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How to Hatch Turkey Eggs in an Incubator: 8 Steps (with Pictures)

25 Days: Turn all the eggs three to five times every 24 hours. This prevents the turkey

On the 25th day, stop turning the eggs. This is so the turkey can get into hatching

inside from sticking to the shell.

position. In approx three days, on the 28th day, they will hatch. When turkeys hatch out,

they may roll over the others' eggs, use the turning marks to keep the same side up.

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Tips
The hatching process takes between 5 and 10 hours.
When a turkey starts poking through the shell, do NOT turn the egg.
Make sure that the crack the turkey is making is facing up. If you put the
crack facing the floor, the turkey may not be able to break through. In the
last three days of incubation the turkey will move to get into hatching
position. 6-12 hours before they hatch you may even hear them start to
peep.
After 24 hours have passed, show the turkey its water and food. Dip its
beak in the water (but not so that it goes in the nostrils) and watch him
drink. Repeat with the feed. Hopefully your turkey will learn and start
eating and drinking by itself.
The normal incubating period for turkeys is 28 days.
The newly hatched turkey will probably be peeping, wobbly, tired and
wet. Make sure it stays warm and rests.
The first crack will probably show up towards the thicker end of the egg.
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How to Hatch Turkey Eggs in an Incubator: 8 Steps (with Pictures)

The turkey often drills his way around the circumference of the egg and
pops the end open like a cap.
Keep an eye on the water level underneath. If you let it go too low, the
incubator will get too dry. The relative humidity during hatching time
should be 65% or more to prevent the turkey from drying out inside its
cracked shell and dying during hatching.
Handle the eggs as little as possible. The less disturbance you create,
the more likely the hatching will go smoothly.

Warnings
Resist the urge to help a hatching turkey. This will do more harm than
good. Let nature take its course.
Never touch young turkeys after being in contact with chickens. There
are diseases that can be passed from chickens to young turkeys
(although fully grown turkeys are okay).
If you don't turn the eggs properly, your newborn turkey might hatch with
a twisted leg that it won't be able to stand up with. In this case, the baby
will probably need to be put down.
Always wash your hands (and never touch your face) right before
touching the turkey eggs. The oils from your skin can permeate the
eggshell and contaminate (i.e. hurt) the turkey inside.

Article Info

Categories: Farm Animals

In other languages:
Italiano: Far Schiudere le Uova di Tacchino in Incubatrice, Espaol: empollar huevos de
pavo en una incubadora, Deutsch: Truthahneier im Inkubator
ausbrten, : , Portugus: Chocar Ovos de Peru
em uma Encubadora

Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 283,532 times.

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