7 months healthy Turkey not laying yet

[Anonymous]

I have some vey healthy turkeys and they are 7 months old already. They mate from time to time but not laying eggs for me to hatch. Please advise with what I need to do to make them start laying eggs for hatching.
Thanks

 

[miks]

First of all, if they are 7 months old, they must have been hatched November/December, which is a very odd time of year for turkeys to hatch, unless you are in the southern hemisphere of course? As I usually hatch in May/June, our turkeys are over 7 months when they come into lay in March the following year in response to lengthening days. As the days are now shortening in the northern hemisphere, I am not sure what effect that may have.
So, you probably need to let us know where you are, what you are feeding, and how much day length the birds are getting. If they are in a dark shed with no natural daylight, that will affect them. I am pretty sure that turkeys should be capable of laying at 7 month given the right conditions.

 

[Anonymous]

I am lacated at the western part of Africa Nigeria precisley.
Currently we having a longer day amd shorter night.
The major concern is that one of the turkeys layed an egg about five weeks ago and non las layed any other one till date and I became worried to what could be responsible. This is my first time of rearing turkey. It is a breeding stock and I do see the male one mating with female.
I was feeding them with grower feed untill two weeks ago when I change to layer feed.
I will appreciate an urgent response from to what I can do to bring them to laying. Thanks

 

[miks]

OK, well as far as I can tell, Nigeria is close to the equator, but just in the southern hemisphere, so you have only just started to increase your day length. I cant explain why you got one egg 5 weeks ago, but as your day length is now increasing, you may have more luck in the egg department soon. If they are shut into a house at night, make sure that it has light coming in in the early mornings so they get maximum day length. The layers pellets should help and make sure they always have water. Try to keep the water cool if you can so they are more likely to drink it.

I am not sure how well suited turkeys are to living that close to the equator, but let us know how you get on......

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks. I'll update you you on this at the earliest.

Regards