Breeding Stock | Mating Turkeys | Eggs | Incubation | Hatching | Brooding |
Chicks
Breeding Heritage Turkeys
The intention at Heritage Turkeys is to promote traditional
varieties of turkey and to ensure their valuable attributes such as
an ability to mate naturally, to rear their own young and to free
range outdoors are retained for future generations. To
achieve these objectives we have a fairly rigorous breeding
agenda.
One often hears that breeding traditional varieties of turkey is
difficult, but that is certainly not our experience or a viewpoint
we support. Traditional varieties of turkey are in our
opinion no more difficult to breed and rear than any other poultry
as long as you
adhere to basic management requirements and apply common
sense.
Below we have identified the breeding strategies and methods that
have worked for us at Heritage Turkeys. We acknowledge there
are other ways of breeding and rearing these delightful birds, but
this is how we do it, and it has been successful to date.
Before embarking upon an incubation project make sure you have
undertaken sufficient reading on the topic, and that you know
exactly what is required.
Diary: It is essential to keep a diary and
record essential breeding data such as pairing date and laying
dates as this
information is easily forgotten. Essential data such as egg
setting date, pipping date, hatch rate, number of clear eggs
or dead in shell must be recorded for effective management of your
breeding birds. Try to take daily readings of both the room
and incubator temperature and humidity, where possible keeping the
time of recording consistent. This allows you to understand the
elements that influence the incubation process, and ultimately
improve results.
Breeding Stock:
Breeding Stock - Selection: The careful
selection of both stags and hens is the secret of producing good
quality breeding birds, and it is important to refresh your
understanding about the criteria and characteristics of the variety
you are breeding before placing them in groups. Always
use the best example of traditional turkey to breed from,
and make sure they actually meet the criteria for that variety
as defined within the current British Poultry
Standards.
Whatever your reasons for breeding make sure the birds you use are
specifically selected for the purpose as random pairings
rarely give the results required. Many people are interested
in showing their birds and organise their breeding groups to
improve certain characteristics such as carriage, appearance
and colouring in the hope that this will improve their chances
when exhibiting. However, whilst there is no problem
with aspiring to meet the British Poultry Standard one must be
careful not to dilute or diminish the utility attributes and
integrity of the breed.
Only breed from birds that are healthy, well fleshed, free
from deformity, and are without any external parasites.
One must not breed from a bird where poor fertility and
hatchability have been a problem in the past, or where chick
mortality has been an issue. To do so would serve no purpose
other than to retain these negative traits.
Breeding Stock - Optimum
Characteristics:
- Vigorous: healthy and fully prepared to meet the rigours of the
breeding season,
- Fitness: no known history of weaknesses or tendency
towards illness in line,
- Standard: meet British Poultry Standards, but not at
expense of utility factors,
- Mating: must be able to mate naturally,
- Eggs: must lay good quality eggs to support the
incubation process,
- Fertility: must lay a good percentage of fertile
eggs,
- Hatching: must sustain a good percentage of hatching
chicks,
- Chicks: must be robust with a low mortality rate,
- Brooding: must have inclination to brood and rear
own young,
- Robust: must be sufficiently robust to free
range outdoors in all weather.
Breeding Stock - Feeding: The breeding
process can be exhausting for the birds, and to perform at their
best it is essential they begin the season in good
condition. In January we begin feeding our
breeding birds a proprietary breeder mix, and support this
with additional supplements.
We also provide additional fresh green foods even though our
breeding groups free range outside on grass. Importantly we
give
all our birds oyster shell as this is an excellent source of
calcium essential for strong bones and good egg shells, which
is an important consideration at this time of year.
There is fresh water at all times and we usually add a lightly
crushed clove of garlic to each drinker.
Experience has shown that poorly prepared birds produce inferior
eggs with diminished hatchability rates and higher chick
mortality. So providing a good diet before the season
starts will ensure your birds are in excellent condition as
the breeding season begins, and more able to withstand the
rigours of a long season.
(Top)
Mating
Turkeys:
The number of birds you keep and the level of control over
breeding you require will dictate whether flock mating or pen
mating will be used.
Mating - Record Keeping: Good record
keeping is essential as this will allow you to
express fertility and hatchability as a percentage, with the
higher values indicating which matings are most
successful. It is important to remember that fertility
and hatchability are not the same thing. Fertility is
indicated by whether an egg has the essential components to
start life. Hatchability is the ability for a fertile egg,
when given all the appropriate conditions, to progress though
all the various stages to hatching.
Mating - Flock: Turkey keepers with a
sizeable flock can run several stags with a large group of
hens. However, care must be taken to ensure there are
sufficient hens in the flock, and a ratio of one stag to 6-8
hens seems to work well. A large field is required as the
stags require space to organise their breeding group without
the risk of constant fighting. The downfall is that
accurate records cannot be kept with this mating
strategy.
Mating - Pen: Arranging your breeding
birds in smaller groups within a pen permits a
greater understanding of exactly how the mating process is
going, and provides an easier arrangement to manage the
process. Certainly anyone wanting specific pairing should use
this method. A good healthy stag can sustain and easily
fertilise a group of six hens, and with experienced birds in
optimum condition this can be as many as 10.
However, where the number of hens to a single stag is
small then care must be taken to ensure his amorous attentions
do not damage the hen.
Mating - Turkey Saddles: We constantly
comment upon the importance of natural mating for traditional
varieties of turkey, but this is not without problems.
Some stags are rough with the hens and we find this is a particular
issue in a flock situation where there is constant competition
for females. But even where there is only a single stag
within a group some can still be rough with
their mating and, unless there is a very good reason for using
him, we would change the male for a gentler stag.
Some heavy stags can seriously damage a hen's back with their
claws by tearing the skin and causing nasty wounds, and we
find a 'first year hen' of heavy varieties particularly
vulnerable to being damaged this way. The
simplest protection is to use a canvas turkey saddle on the
hens back which is easily fitted without restricting her
natural movement. It is important to use the correct
size saddle for the particular variety of turkey you are
protecting. Stags should also have their claws and spurs
trimmed before the season starts as this gives time for any sharp
edges left by cutting time to wear smooth. We cannot
stress enough that vigilance is an essential requirement at
breeding time if damage is to be spotted in time and
the breeding groups must be checked regularly.
We have found that using hens in their second year with an
experienced stag significantly reduces the risk of damage,
and given an appropriate pairing we do no use
saddles. (Top)
Eggs:
Egg - Laying: We find some of our turkeys
will lay an occasional egg as early as January, but for us the
season really begins from mid march onwards as that is when the
required 14 hours daylight is available to initiate the laying
process. Our turkeys start going off lay from August onwards,
although we often get eggs into late September and some
even in October.
To achieve heavier birds for Christmas some breeders start to
artificially increase lighting levels to encourage earlier
laying as this gives a greater growing period for turkeys intended
for the table. However, given the current trend for smaller
table birds we just leave it to nature and have found this works
well for us.
The volume of eggs will vary according to the particular variety
of turkey and how it is managed and fed. But as a general
rule under optimum conditions lighter breeds can lay up to
100 eggs and heavier breeds as few as 50.
Where breeding stock is concerned, although hatching from first
year eggs is perfectly feasible, we believe hens in their second
year produce a more robust and viable egg.
Egg - Storage: Eggs must be collected at
least twice a day and kept with the pointed end downwards. Eggs
can can 'stored' for a maximum of 10 days in cool
conditions whilst a clutch or setting is gathered. You must
acknowledge that hatchability diminishes the longer an egg is
stored, and that a refrigerator is not a suitable
place to keep them. We tilt our trays of stored eggs daily to
avoid any issues with contents sticking to the shell. Those
received through the post must be rested with the pointed end down
in a tray for 24 hours and allowed to settle before being
placed in the incubator. Eggs must be at ambient room
temperature before setting in the incubator to avoid to sudden
a change in temperature.
Egg - Quality: An egg intended for
incubation must be checked to be free from cracks or other surface
damage because they are unlikely to hatch and will take up valuable
space in your incubator. But more importantly, cracked or
damaged eggs have a high risk of becoming contaminated and
exploding in the incubator, and possibly infecting other incubating
eggs. Similarly, misshapen eggs or where it is not of an
appropriate size or structure must not be incubated because
the developing chick is unlikely to thrive and progress to a
successful hatch.
Eggs - Washing: Contrary to many, we see no
point in washing an egg with a sanitising agent as this removes the
cuticle which had been provided by the hen as a natural
barrier. However, although we do not wash eggs, we do rub off
any mud or droppings prior to placing an egg in an incubator.
Eggs - Bought In: Many turkey keepers begin
be buying in fertile eggs and hatching their flock themselves, and
with a little research there are many opportunities to acquire eggs
from breeders who advertise in poultry press or on the
internet.
But do beware, as in our experience hatchability is likely to be
diminished once eggs have passed through the postal system.
Also there is significant risk when buying over the
internet, and without having had the opportunity to see the
parent birds and the circumtances they are kept in.
(Top)
Incubation:
Fertile eggs can be incubated naturally by the hens that lay them,
by another hen generally known as a broody, or artificially using a
purpose made incubator, and any of these options can provide you
with a successful hatch. However, which method you use will
depend upon you particular circumstances and how many eggs you are
looking to incubate.
Incubation - Natural Hen: Evolution has
equipped poultry with a perfectly adequate mating, incubating
and rearing strategy, and given your particular circumstances that
is often the best option. So, if you provide the right
environment and circumstances your hen will lay her clutch and rear
them naturally.
A caution here is that some birds do not take to brooding and
rearing their own young very well and where that is the case,
unless there was a very good reason, we would not breed from that
particular hen. Our justification for this strategy is that
to do so would only perpetuate an undesirable fault.
Incubation - Broody Hen: Our strategy is to
regularly take the eggs from our rare varieties of turkey and
incubate them artificially or by using a 'broody hen' as a foster
mother. Our justification for taking eggs from the natural
mother is that this will increase the numbers of eggs being laid,
and using a 'broody hen' offers a natural alternative.
Anyone with a flock will soon recognise any hens that have an
inclination to go broody, and it would be seen as a fault for
someone interested in egg production. However, for someone
with surplus eggs and who wants to rear them naturally, then a
broody hen is a bonus.
Incubation - Equipment: Given the
sophisticated automated equipment available today it amazes me that
the old boys achieved what they did with wooden incubators and
paraffin heaters. But aesthetics aside, the current
equipment wins on all levels by being easier to manage and
offering good hatch rates. The secret to success with
artificial incubators is a full understanding of the equipment and
the process.
As for the most appropriate choice of equipment for your
circumstances you must be realistic about the number of chicks you
want to rear and the amount of involvement you want with the
process.
Fully automated incubators are probably the first choice for most
poultry keepers. But in reality these may not be cost
effective if you only want to rear a few birds, and selling surplus
stock on is not always an easy option. Any surplus cockerels
or stags we have generally go to our table, but this strategy may
be an issue for some.
To avoid any surprises and enable prompt responses make sure you
read and understand the manufacturer's instructions before setting
your eggs in the incubator. It is absolutely essential
everything is scrupulously clean before you start, and kept that
way throughout the incubation and rearing process.
There is always a flood of second hand equipment coming up for
sale at the beginning of the season. Many 'bargains' can be found,
but do beware. Make sure that spares are still available, and
always try to see the kit before you buy.
Incubation - Location: The incubation and
chick rearing area must be free from draughts with a fairly stable
temperature. Importantly, equipment must not be located close to
windows or doors where they can be compromised by extreme or rapid
temperature changes.
Incubation - Set Up: Automatic incubators
once set up correctly will maintain a constant temperature and
humidity and also turn the eggs regularly. It is essential to
read and fully understand the manufactures instructions before
committing your valuable eggs into the incubator. At the
beginning of the season we run the incubators empty for a few days
to make sure everything is working. You must be aware that
there are no second chances with the incubation process which, once
it has started, must progress through to its logical
conclusion.
Incubation - Timing: The incubation time
for a turkey egg is 28 days. However, the optimum incubation
time of 28 days can vary a little either way if there has been a
slight long term variation in temperature or humidity. We
always give our eggs a little longer just in case they are slow
developers, and we always do a final candling of eggs that exceed
28 days before we discard them.
Incubation - Temperature: 37.5 degrees
centigrade is the optimum temperature to incubate turkey eggs, and
we run our incubators at this throughout the
season.
Incubators running a little higher than 37.5 will cause an early
hatch, and slightly lower temperature will result in a later
hatch.
Importantly, any deviation by a degree or more over a period of
time, or any major fluctuations in temperature even short term,
will cause damage to the developing embryo.
We remove eggs from the incubator and place them in a separate
hatcher at 25 days for the final stages of incubation, and this is
run at a constant 37.0 degrees centigrade.
Incubation - Humidity: 45%
humidity is the optimum level for the first 25 days of incubation,
and we run our incubators run at that throughout the season.
At 25 days we remove eggs from the incubator and place them in a
separate hatcher for the final stages of incubation, and this is
run at a constant 65% humidity.
More chicks are lost during the incubation period due to an
inconsistent or inappropriate level of humidity than any other
single issue, and we cannot stress enough the importance of
achieving and maintaining an appropriate level.
Incubation - Candling: After ten days in
the incubator sufficient development should have occurred for you
to be able to check fertility by candling your
eggs. Candling is the first opportunity to
see new life developing, and I always find it an
exciting and enjoyable event. Placing a bright light behind
each egg as you hold it up will soon identify any that are clear or
infertile, and need to be discarded. We always undertake
candling in a darkened area as this provides the best opportunity
to see any development that has occurred.
Incubation - Opening Incubator: Try to keep
the opening of the incubator to once a day, and only then when it
is
absolutely necessary. Anything that needs to be done within the
incubator should be planned for with everything ready to hand as
this minimises the time the door is open and the temperature is
changing.
Incubation - Turning: Turkey eggs must be
turned regularly throughout the first 25 days of the incubation
period to stop the contents from sticking to the inside of the
shell. Egg turning is something hens do instinctively and is
easily replicated in an automated incubator. Egg turning
must stop after 25 days to allow the developing chick to position
itself correctly and begin the process of hatching.
Incubation - Power Cuts: We live remotely
and get quite a few power cuts a year, and often at a vital
stage in the incubation process. Our strategy is to place blankets
and quilts over the incubators and to never open the doors until
power has been restored and operational temperatures reached. Do
not discard the hatch due to a power failure. Some chicks may
survive and progress to a natural hatch.
(Top)
Hatching:
Hatching - Piping: At about 25 days your
turkey eggs will start to 'pip', and you may hear the chicks
tapping away on the inside of their shell, or see tiny holes and
cracks appear. It is at this 25 day stage, and even where
there are no signs of piping, eggs should be removed from the
incubator into the hatcher.
The process of hatching takes about three days, and for some
observers this can be a difficult time. We cannot stress
enough the
importance of letting nature take its natural course in this
process.
Hatching - Tough Love: Difficult though it
is our golden rule is never to assist chicks that may be struggling
to hatch out of their shell. As long as we had prepared the
parent birds appropriately, selected the eggs well and had an
otherwise good incubation, we believe to intervene would only serve
to encourage or perpetuate a fault or weakness. Similarly,
any hatched chicks that develop a defect are despatched
immediately. We justify this strategy as a responsibility to
maintain and manage stock viability. We have tried to
'rescue' chicks in difficulty, but experience shows that this often
just prolongs their suffering which is never justifiable.
Hatching - Drying Off: Newly hatched chicks need to stay in
the hatcher until they have fully dried off and fluffed up, and
only when that has been completed can they be transferred and
placed under a broody lamp.
(Top)
Brooding
Area: Currently being Written
(Top)
Chicks:
Chick - Feeding: After
hatching chicks can live off their absorbed yolk sack for a couple
of days. However, to get them off to a good start in life it
is advisable to get them eating independently as soon as
possible.
Chick Crumb: There are a number of
manufacturers of turkey crumb to choose from. But do ensure that
whichever you choose it has at least 22% protein. Also, make sure
you read the label carefully to ensure you know what you are giving
your birds, and follow the manufacturer's instructions.
Dipping a chicks beak into water and then into the crumb will
encourage them to feed. Also a coloured marble in the feed
will encourage inquisitive chicks to peck at it and ultimately to
eat.
Water: Fresh water must be available at
all times, but make sure the design of the container is such that
the chicks cannot fall into it and drown, or can paddle in it and
soil it easily. A coloured marble in the water will encourage
inquisitive chicks to peck at it and ultimately to drink.
Additional Feeds:
Hard boiled eggs fed occasionally are really good for your young
chicks. But only leave in their pen for a short time as it
can quickly sour and become a problem.
Grated or finely chopped onion is good for chicks over a week
old but don't overdo it as it can be a bit strong for young
digestive systems.
Honey diluted in water is a great 'pick me up' but only make a
weak solution and only feed occasionally.
Green leaves such as dock or dandelion tied up and hung in the
pen are an ideal way to introduce these items to your chicks
diet. Food presented this way is also great source
of entertainment for them.
(Top)