Do Turkeys Lay Eggs?
OR do they have live babies, give birth, or get pregnant?
Are you curious if a turkey lays an egg or gives birth?
Although much larger than the chicken, the turkey creates life and food in much the same way as a chicken.
A turkey lays an egg, which can be eaten, but if the turkey makes a nest and then sets on the egg for 28 days, a little poult (baby turkey) hatches out of the egg.
If you would like to find out more about the turkey egg, follow this link: Turkey Eggs Facts: (Size, Nutrition, & Taste??), +How to Hatch Them
You can find a lot of articles here on A Life of Heritage that will teach you a lot about poultry and be sure to check out CHICKEN RICH: Profitable Poultry Binder–It’s FULL of to-do lists, checklists, record keeping sheets, and resource pages that will keep your flock healthy and YOU organized!
Where do turkeys lay their eggs?
Hens will scratch out an area to form a small indentation or bowl that she can squat down into and lay an egg. She will usually choose an area that is under a dense brush or overhang which allows her to be safe from predators. She can see her surroundings while staying hidden from danger.
Do wild turkeys lay eggs?
Wild turkeys, domestic turkeys, and any turkey in-between can and will lay eggs.
What time of year do turkeys lay eggs and will they lay eggs year around?
Turkeys are generally seasonal layers, beginning in the spring around April. But some people have found that their birds don’t always fit this mold and begin laying earlier.
If their eggs are picked each day and they are not allowed to make a nest, they will lay for a longer period of time.
How many times a year do turkeys lay eggs?
A turkey can lay up to 100 eggs a year and will lay between 2 and 3 eggs a week.
In a natural setting, they will lay a clutch of eggs. This means they will lay between 10-12 eggs in about two weeks to fill their nest. Then they will go broody and begin to set on the eggs to hatch them out.
Do turkeys lay eggs without a male?
A turkey will lay an egg with or without a male. But they will not be fertile. Without a male, they cannot be placed in an incubator and will not hatch if a hen sets on them.
What does a turkey egg look like?
Turkey eggs are usually creamy-white with brown speckles and they have a much pointer end than a chicken egg.
In this picture below you can see the four turkey eggs in the middle surrounded by a chicken egg and a goose egg.
Can you eat a turkey egg?
Now, don’t go around stealing eggs from any nest you see, but the reality is…you can eat any egg you come across. Eggs you can eat could be in a nest in a tree or a nest on the ground or in the chicken house or buried under some leaves or dirt like a duck sometimes does!
So, yes! A turkey egg is quite edible! In fact, many people prefer them. You can read more about turkey eggs here: Turkey Eggs
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Danielle Waked
Wednesday 27th of May 2020
My turkey lays her egg for HOURS. Is that normal? Is she taking all the time to actually lay it or is she just sitting on it afterwards for hours? How long does it usually take for them to lay an egg? Sometimes she won’t move for ANYTHING and I have to physically pick her up off the egg and put her in the coop for the night. We take the egg away immediately so she doesn’t have a clutch. Is this what being “broody” is? Or is she physically EXHAUSTED from laying it? Do they get exhausted after laying an egg? Does it hurt them? Any answers would really help!
Bello Opeyemi
Friday 10th of April 2020
Do a Turkey hen need to mate everyday while it's laying for its eggs to be fertilized.
Delci Plouffe
Monday 13th of April 2020
After mating, a turkey will lay fertile eggs for 7-10 days. So, no, they do not need to mate every day! :)
Linda S. Martinez
Saturday 28th of March 2020
Does the male turkey lay on the eggs when the female gets up and how long will he sit on them. Will she come back to sit on them anytime if he gets up?
Delci Plouffe
Tuesday 31st of March 2020
The hens are the ones who set on the eggs. And she should set on them until they hatch!
Lawal
Wednesday 17th of July 2019
My turkey have laid nine eggs,how do i know that the turkey will hatch the eggs.is it when she finished laying all the eggs,that is when hatching will begins
Delci Plouffe
Monday 29th of July 2019
I don't think it can be forced. She will lay a batch of eggs and when she feels like it's sufficient, she'll begin to set on them. It's hard to predict how it will all play out exactly! I hope all goes well and she begins setting for you!
Pastor Abiodun
Sunday 7th of April 2019
Pastor Abiodun I took my Turkey to a Tom for mating be she started laying, Pls do I need to take my female turkey to a tom male turkey again during laying.?
Delci Plouffe
Sunday 7th of April 2019
Hello :) A turkey hen, can hold the sperm in their oviduct for up to four weeks. So just keep that in mind. Probably once a month, the hen will need to breed with a Tom to lay fertile eggs each month.