We bought 2 white domestic turkeys male & female. The female laid 1 egg She has no interest in egg, male & female are in same coop. Should they be seperated so she will hatch egg? She had the egg the 23rd. Any help will be appreciated.

-- dave DiPierri (dreamers953@aol.com), April 25, 2004

Answers

I don't have any experience with turkeys, but with chickens, guineas, geese and ducks they will accumulate a nest full of eggs before they start incubating them. Did she make any effort at a nest, or did she just lay on the run?

-- Judy (tabletophomestead@earthlink.net), April 27, 2004.

The broody instinct has been bred out of the white turkeys from what I have heard. In fact, unless you have actually seen them mate the chances are that the egg is not even fertile. If she were actually planning on setting a clutch she would be laying one each day. At least that has been my experience with my turkeys.

-- diane (gardiacaprines@hotmail.com), April 27, 2004.