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Do turkeys lay eggs? There is a lot of information about the turkey and how it procreates! Find out more here…
Do Turkeys Lay Eggs?
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 The 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 a 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.
Photo Credit to Thomasturkey from BackYard Chickens
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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Denise E. Allen says
Does a male TOM mate with his female offspring. Last year the female turkey gave birth to 4 babies. She had two female and two males. We now have 4 turkeys. Will the Dominent Male Tom try to make with the females he produced. Should I keep the female seperate from him. Thank you.
Delci Plouffe says
Hey Denise! A turkey, or any poultry, will not differentiate between who is their prodigy and who isn’t. A tom will mate with their offspring. And if you don’t plan to allow them to set on the eggs or to incubate them, then it probably isn’t an issue. You do want to watch the male to female ratio, so there aren’t too many toms to hens though. Too many male birds can cause unnecessary fighting between them and continual mating may hurt a hen.