Marian
Well-known member
For those of you who raise heritage turkeys. How common is it for them to lay out of season? Does it harm them in any way? My two Beltsville Small White Turkey hens are both laying. They both seem fine.
TIA
TIA
Turkey Question
- Thread starter Marian
- Start date
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It's not common with most of the breeds. I believe that there are some strains of the heritage breeds (particularly the smaller breeds) that have been breed to produce longer laying birds so that there are eggs to sell/hatch all year.
As to your second question..will it hurt them. No. However they will have shorter years of laying. Poultry are born with XX number of eggs inside. Like a human woman. Once those eggs have been used up...that's all there is. You do need to keep the protein levels up for a hen that is laying into fall/winter so she doesn't lose weight, as well as calcium. They put a LOT of their own protein into building the eggs (and calcium, obviously).
You will probably see them go through a molt soon, tho.
As to your second question..will it hurt them. No. However they will have shorter years of laying. Poultry are born with XX number of eggs inside. Like a human woman. Once those eggs have been used up...that's all there is. You do need to keep the protein levels up for a hen that is laying into fall/winter so she doesn't lose weight, as well as calcium. They put a LOT of their own protein into building the eggs (and calcium, obviously).
You will probably see them go through a molt soon, tho.
It's not common with most of the breeds. I believe that there are some strains of the heritage breeds (particularly the smaller breeds) that have been breed to produce longer laying birds so that there are eggs to sell/hatch all year.
As to your second question..will it hurt them. No. However they will have shorter years of laying. Poultry are born with XX number of eggs inside. Like a human woman. Once those eggs have been used up...that's all there is. You do need to keep the protein levels up for a hen that is laying into fall/winter so she doesn't lose weight, as well as calcium. They put a LOT of their own protein into building the eggs (and calcium, obviously).
You will probably see them go through a molt soon, tho.
As to your second question..will it hurt them. No. However they will have shorter years of laying. Poultry are born with XX number of eggs inside. Like a human woman. Once those eggs have been used up...that's all there is. You do need to keep the protein levels up for a hen that is laying into fall/winter so she doesn't lose weight, as well as calcium. They put a LOT of their own protein into building the eggs (and calcium, obviously).
You will probably see them go through a molt soon, tho.
that again :razz2:
Marian
Well-known member
Thanks so much, Anntann for the wonderful information.
