would a turkey incubate and hatch hen/duck eggs?

[CarolynEarley]

We have a lovely lady turkey, Piggle, who is now laying eggs. She seems to want to sit for a while and may be going broody, which would be great had we a male. If we replaced her eggs with hen and ducks eggs (which we know stand a good chance of being fertilised) would she treat them as her own and sit on them? Would we need to turn them at all or would she do that? We are trying to get a male as we did have one but he became lame so we lost him. They are all free range and Piggle has found a spot where she returns to lay her eggs away from the rest. Any advice appreciated. :?

 

[miks]

Hi Carolyn, I guess turkeys start laying early in Crete! I have found them to be very good sitters and mothers, (if a bit scatty) but I have not used them for raising anything other than turkey poults. She will look after any eggs perfectly fine, but I could not say how she would react to her hatched ducklings. If she sits, make sure she gets off the nest every day as they sometimes sit too tight and starve themselves.

 

[CarolynEarley]

thanks very much

 

[miks]

You are welcome

 

[CarolynEarley]

Piggle now should be called Fickle as she has stopped laying in her special place and sues a nesting box alongside the chickens and ducks and does not stay there ... maybe when the weather gets warmer she will. We have to find a male now!

 

[Anonymous]

ive heard its been done before, i havnt seen it with my own eyes though. And wouldnt it be a sight lol. Turkeys do tend to break eggs, and it is hard to get a turkey to sit and set full term even with her own eggs. A good broody hen will though.
Kinda gives a whole new meaning to the ugly duckling story lol.

 

[Tim]

I thought you might like to see this photo of a Norfolk Black Turkey that townknowl sent to me by email yesterday. She said "These goslings are very tuned in to their mother's noises. She is a very protective and careful mother."

 

[lwescott]

I'd think she'd be fine although never seen a broody turkey myself and worked on a farm with 600 odd of them FRing! :lol:

Nice photo Tim