# When do turkeys start laying?



## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

We have decided to winter over a bronze tom, bronze hen and midget white hen. When can I expect eggs and do I need to provide some sort of nesting box? Can I expect at least one of these hens to set, or do I need to hope for a setting hen at the same time.


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## Rusty'sDog (Oct 14, 2010)

Turkeys are not the brightest bird in the yard. Generations of domestication have also paid their price in 'instincts'. Turkey hens are not known to be good brooders. In today's commercial flocks, most use incubators for maximum results. Of the farms that still use natural incubation, about half of them use chickens for the brood, as they are more reliable mothers. Use what you have, and hope for good results.


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## KSALguy (Feb 14, 2006)

they will lay in their first adult season, so you will have eggs in the spring, also i have to differ in experiance than the last poster, the BB varietys that have been bred for meat are NOT used to brood, but the farm type heratage breeds are not that bad, they are just as effective as a broody hen if you keep her in a safe place with her poults, the Midget white should go proody and as long as the bronz is not a BroadBrestedBronz she will too and should do good as long as you keep her safe, 

stack up some hay bails with a hollow part for them to get in and that will be great for a nest


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## piglady (Sep 28, 2006)

My midget whites are laying now but I think it may be due to added light. I have a brooder box near them and keep the light on all the time. My midgets try to sit but I take the eggs and incubate them.


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## Kmac15 (May 19, 2007)

piglady said:


> My midget whites are laying now but I think it may be due to added light. I have a brooder box near them and keep the light on all the time. My midgets try to sit but I take the eggs and incubate them.


How old are they? I got mine this past may.


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## Curtis B (Aug 15, 2008)

Mine have only layed in the early to late spring and early summer. Watch them with the tom, it is very obvious when he is courting them (which shouldn't be till spring). As far as good mothers, in my experiance it depends on the hen. I have had very good mothers, and very bad ones. Most of my problems have come from unnatural conditions on my property, hens that stay in the yard or pens to lay have the problems. The hens that went off to lay in their own secluded area in the pasture have done best. No matter which hen successfully hatched poults, they were all good mothers as far as protecting their poults and paying attention, the losses came from waterers, and cats in the yard.


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## trbizwiz (Mar 26, 2010)

How many eggs will a bourbon red turkey lay in a season? IF they are hatched in may will they start laying the following april?


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