Still air incubators are often inexpensive and good for small batches of eggs. They don’t have circulating air, so you need to open the door every day to let in oxygen, adjust the temperature, and turn the eggs. Forced air incubators have a fan that keeps the air even throughout the incubator. Many of them are programmable and have automatic turning racks to help keep growing turkeys healthy. Most incubators have slots you put individual eggs in, so you know exactly how much space you have. Incubators work for chickens or any other type of bird, so you don’t need to look for something turkey-specific.
Store the eggs in a cool place, such as a pantry or cupboard, until the incubator is ready. Cool temperatures arrest the turkey’s growth. Let the eggs warm back up to room temperature for 4 to 8 hours before incubating them. [3] X Research source Most likely, your incubator is a forced air incubator, which has a fan that distributes air evenly. It’s far more common than still air incubators, which need to be opened to let fresh air in. Check which kind of incubator you have while you wait for it to heat up.
To change the incubator’s humidity level, adjust the amount of water in the trough. Add more water to increase the humidity. Remove some of it to decrease the humidity.
Use a thermometer with a long stem for the best results. The thermometer needs to be at least halfway as high up as the eggs to get an accurate readout of the temperature in that part of the incubator. To elevate a short thermometer, place a disposable plastic cup or wood block under it.
A wet bulb thermometer shows you the relative humidity as long as the fabric extension stays wet. You need to compare the wet bulb’s readout to the overall temperature in the incubator to determine the humidity. To simplify this, print out a wet bulb humidity chart for incubators. For an easier time reading the humidity, invest in a quality hygrometer from an animal supply store.
Avoid using colored pencils, pens, or markers. These all contain chemicals that will get through the pores in the shells and harm the turkeys.
Turning the eggs prevents the turkeys from sticking to the shells. If you don’t turn the eggs, they likely won’t hatch. Turn the eggs more frequently to increase the chances of hatching healthy turkeys. This is a time-consuming process, so invest in an incubator with automatic turning if you hatch a lot of eggs.
Bad eggs often have black or red rings inside of them. Also, the embryo may look like a small, dark smear against the shell. Some embryos are late-bloomers, so keep the eggs if you’re unsure about their viability. Embryos that aren’t viable stop growing. If the embryo grows but doesn’t have noticeable veins yet, give it a little more time.
If you’re using a wet bulb thermometer, it needs to be between 90 and 94 °F (32 and 34 °C)
When the turkeys hatch, they may roll over the other eggs. Use the pencil marks to reposition the eggs.
Newborn turkeys need to be shown their food and water 24 hours after they hatch. Dip their beaks in the bowls, making sure they don’t get food or water in their nostrils. Watch how the turkeys react to warmth. If they huddle together under heat sources, the brooder is too cold. If they huddle together away from heat sources, the brooder is too hot.
