Turkeys are seasonal layers. That means they lay in the Spring/Summer. I know this because the books and goodness knows how many websites tells me so. So how does the books explain this picture? In short, they don't. The four top eggs in the basket are turkey eggs. The other three are various chicken eggs. I put them in so the difference in turkey eggs is more obvious. Turkey eggs are off-white and speckled. They're also much pointier on one end.
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I really don't know why my turkeys are laying now. I phoned a turkey lady I know and she is clueless as well. But she did say she was impressed that I was getting eggs from my turkeys. I don't know if I'm all that impressed, I think I'm more worried. Is it good for turkeys to lay off-season? Does it hurt them? Does it make them weaker? Will they lay in season? The turkey lady hazard a guess that they may be laying because I have lights in the coop. But other than that, she had no other information.
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Poking around the Internet did get me some interesting heritage turkey facts. Did you know heritage turkeys lack the broad-breast gene that all commercial turkeys have? And that has something to do with why heritage turkeys can breed naturally while commercial turkeys can't. I'm not quite sure, though, how those two things get connected.
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I am going to keep looking and see what I can find out. For the time being, I'm hoping the turkeys are ok and are not hurting themselves laying. May-be they're just confused...like me.
2 comments:
I think your friend is probably right. The lights are probably triggering them to think it's Spring. I think they are like chickens in that the amount of daylight determines laying. I don't think the laying will hurt them, I think it's like chickens, it might shorten their laying life, but only because they will have laid all the eggs they would have laid in more years, in less. I also think the reason broad breasted birds can't breed is they get to big to do the deed. I don't they are sterile. I think they just can't maneuver due to size.
Enjoy the eggs!
Hi Amy!
Thanks for the insights. I never thought of the possibility of shortening their egg-laying life with lights. It doesn't really matter with the chickens because they usually get culled before that but it is something to consider with the turkeys.
BTW, I love the Children's book your family wrote, I haven't read it but it looks fantastic. I hope the sales are brisk!
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