Follow this 28 day incubation process, and you can learn the proper temperature, humidity, and time to take when hatching turkey eggs in an incubator. Before long, you will be hatching eggs like a pro.
Be sure to check out this post on properly cleaning an incubator for the best success rate when hatching out eggs.
Why We Hatch Eggs in an Incubator
We’ve raised Black Spanish turkeys here on Hidden Heights Farm for years. Black Spanish turkeys are meat birds that grow medium to large, with the males topping out at about 25 pounds and the hens at 18 pounds.
There were times we’d been getting eggs from just one hen because the others kept escaping and getting into our yard and the woods. The wild jakes called to them, and the hens would elope with the wild turkeys.
When this happens, we use an incubator to hatch our eggs to get our turkey numbers up. Our goal is to grow our flock and to have the ability to sell some turkeys at Thanksgiving time.
Fertilized turkey eggs have an incubation period of 28 days. Keep the eggs at a temperature of 99.5°F and a relative humidity level of 55-60% for the highest hatch rate.
Hatching turkey eggs in an incubator is relatively easy, but getting them in the incubator as soon as the mama turkey lays them for the most significant success rate is essential.
In nature, the mother turkey will sit on her eggs constantly until they hatch, with only short breaks for food and water. Sadly, not all eggs will hatch, but that’s part of nature. Not all eggs will be viable. Discard any cracked eggs because those won’t be fertile eggs.
Styles of Incubators
There are two main types of incubators, so pick the one that fits your budget and also serves your farm.
Still Air Incubators
The benefit of still-air incubators is that they are generally inexpensive. They’re suitable for small batches of eggs. Since they don’t have moving air, you will need to open the door several times daily to let in oxygen, check the temperature, and turn the eggs.
This style of incubator is a little more labor-intensive but a great starter.
Forced Air Incubators
Forced air incubators have a small motor and fan that keeps air circulating throughout the incubator. They are usually programmable and have automatic turning mechanisms. They also often have humidity controls.
This incubator style is much less labor intensive but can come with a higher price tag.
Our Incubator
In the past, we’ve used a styrofoam incubator, but we were sent an induced dual airflow incubator from Brinsea to review.
It’s effortless to use. All of the settings are digital. You only need to simultaneously hold down the plus and minus signs to change the settings. We set the temperature to 99.5°F and the humidity to 60%.
Inside, the egg carriers are made from washable plastic and are easy to remove and clean. There are also plastic water guards, which are easy to remove to add warm water for humidity control. The water guards keep the chicks from falling into the water once they’re born.
The incubator has an automatic tuner that slowly turns the eggs multiple times daily. The best feature is that the motor mechanism is on the lid, so the turning motion ceases once you take off the top.
In nature, the mama turkey uses her beak to turn the eggs, which is essential for the proper formation of the chick.
The manual says the Brinsea 28 egg incubator is suitable for chicken eggs, turkey eggs, duck eggs and even goose eggs. Each row holds approximately six turkey-sized eggs.
Supplies Needed
- Incubator – Incubators come in many styles. Shop around for one that works in your budget and for your farm.
- Water – It’s necessary to add water to the incubator to control the humidity level.
- Pencil – Write the date that the egg was laid on the egg so that you know when it should hatch.
- Candle or Flashlight – Use a light to check the eggs after one week to see if they are viable. This process is called candling.
Hatching Turkey Eggs Step by Step
- Choose an incubator with plenty of space for your eggs. There are many styles, and some only have room for chicken-sized eggs. Make sure yours will hatch turkey eggs.
- Set the incubator on a flat surface and plug it in, giving it plenty of time to warm up before you intend to use it. Pro-Tip: If you aren’t incubating your eggs right away, store the eggs in a cool place until the incubator is ready. Allow the eggs to warm to room temperature before placing them in the incubator.
- Fill the water troughs with the right amount of water to ensure the humidity level is correct before adding your eggs.
- Set the incubation temperature to 99.5℉ and a relative humidity level of 55-60%.
- Write the date the egg was laid on the eggshell using a regular lead pencil. The date will remind you which eggs will be hatching first if you add more eggs later, and it also will show you when eggs have gone past the 28 days and will not be hatching. Pro-Tip: Do not use any kind of colored pencil or marker, or pen to write on your eggs. Chemicals can leach into the pores of the shells and harm the turkeys.
- Place the eggs in the incubator with the pointed end down. Pro-Tip: Eggs should always be stored with the pointy end down, even in your refrigerator. They will last much longer that way.
- After one week, use a candle or a flashlight to “candle” the eggs. Candling is how you check their viability. Bring the light close to the eggshell. You should be able to see the tiny turkey embryo. It will look like a darker blob inside the broader end of the egg. The egg is probably not viable if you cannot see a veiny blob. Some eggs need a little more time to develop, so if you aren’t sure, keep them.
- After 25 days, turn the humidity up to 75% and the temperature down slightly to 99℉. Your turkeys will be arriving soon. Additionally, turn off the automatic turner in your incubator.
- Over the next three days, watch for your eggs to hatch. First, small cracks will appear in the eggs, and then the fluffy turkey poults will break free. If your eggs don’t hatch within 28 days, give them another day or two to be sure.
- Baby turkeys will need to be removed from the incubator as soon as they are dry and then placed in a brooder. Show them their feed and water shortly after birth, and be sure to provide them with a heat lamp.
