I have Burbon Red Turkeys. I was wondering if anyone knows how long a hen turkey will lay fertile eggs after the Tom turkey has bred her and is gone. I had read that wild turkeys can mate in the fall and their eggs will be fertile the next spring.

Thanks, Jodie

-- Jodie in TX (stanchnmotion@yahoo.com), April 23, 2002

Answers

I could be wrong but the time frame I've heard is about 2 weeks. If your located near Palestine I could fix you up with a young Tom. We have Bourbon Reds.

-- fang in tx (fang@goquest.com), April 23, 2002.

Marsden and Martin reported in their book Turkey Management that a Kansas study showed "no reduction in fertility 13 days after males were removed, and a reduction of about 18% during the third week after removal. Forty per cent of the eggs laid on the 34th day after removal were fertile."

-- Jennifer L. (Northern NYS) (jlance@nospammail.com), April 23, 2002.

Hey Jodie...I didn't know you had turkeys..? Can you house them with other poultry?

-- Johna (in central TX) (marcnjohna@aol.com), April 24, 2002.

Hi Johna, Yes, I have Turkeys. They are alot of fun. All of my "feathered animals", which includes: turkeys, geese, ducks, chickens, and guineas all live together in harmony. Well, except when my Tom turkey tries to mate with the hen turkeys(so far he hasn't figured out that he is suppose to do more than just sit on her back!), then the male goose gets jealous and jumps on the tom turkey. It's quite a ZOO around here!

-- Jodie in E TX (stanchnmotion@yahoo.com), April 24, 2002.