How to Hatch Turkey Eggs
Learn step-by-step, how to confidently and successfully hatch turkey eggs, using a tabletop incubator.
Equipment
- tabletop incubator
Materials
- fertile turkey eggs
Instructions
Prepare the incubator
- Make sure the temperature is stable at 99.5℉
- Then stabilize the humidity as close to 40% as possible (38-43).
- Maintain this stable temperature and humidity for at least 8 hours before adding eggs, so you know there won't be fluctuations as the eggs begin incubating.
- If using an auto-turner, make sure it accomodates the size of your turkey eggs. Then install it in the incubator, and make sure it's working properly.
Add the turkey eggs
- Place the eggs in the incubator, setting them into the auto-turner if you're using one.
- Continue to monitor the temperature and humidity levels to make sure they're staying steady.
- TURN the turkey eggs 3 times daily, if you're not using an automatic turning device.
Candle the eggs
- Around day ten, candle the eggs and discard any that aren't viable. Continue turning the eggs 3x daily.
Lockdown
- On day 25, candle the eggs again, and discard any that have stopped developing.
- Open all vents on the incubator to ensure adequate oxygen during the hatching process.
- Remove the auto-turner if you were using one. Stop turning the eggs manually if you're weren't.
- Lower the temperature to 98.5℉
- Raise the humidity to a target humidity level of 60%. Up to 65% is fine.
Enjoy watching your poults hatch
- Do enjoy the process and observe them closely, but try not to let yourself worry. It's easy to be tempted to help them hatch, but more hatchlings are injured or killed this way, than helped. If you're getting worried that a poult may need assistance hatching, reference the bog post for tips on when it's ok to start getting concern, and how to intervene if necessary.
Remove poults from the incubator, and get them settled in the brooder
- Congratulations on your new fluff balls!