Turkeys are among the greatest birds round, and the biggest home fowl saved in North America.
Turkeys are spectacular birds, alright, and although they had been solely a hair’s breadth from being made the nationwide chicken of the US they’re the symbolic chicken and foremost course at Thanksgiving dinners, their scrumptious, juicy meat being the primary course.
However on that observe, you by no means see turkey eggs at Thanksgiving, or at breakfast for that matter. However why not? Do turkeys even lay eggs?
Sure, turkeys do lay eggs. Their eggs appear like rooster eggs, however are larger. They are going to be gentle to darkish brown, generally speckled, and have a tendency to have thicker shells than rooster eggs.
After all turkeys lay eggs, identical to all birds do! It’s no nice thriller, however there may be much more to study turkey eggs, together with why we don’t normally see them on our breakfast or dinner tables.
Preserve studying and I’ll let you know all the pieces you ever needed to find out about turkey eggs.
How Large are Turkey Eggs?
Turkey eggs are considerably bigger than rooster eggs. On common, turkey eggs are anyplace from 50% to 100% bigger than rooster eggs, and far more durable, too.
Turkey eggs are sometimes an elongated oval form, much like a big teardrop, and are normally about 3 1/2 inches lengthy and a couple of 1/2 inches in diameter.
How Many Eggs Do Turkeys Normally Lay?
Turkeys sometimes lay their eggs in clutches, which signifies that they lay a bunch of eggs collectively over a number of days, fairly than simply separately.
The dimensions of a turkey clutch can range relying on the breed of turkey, however they sometimes lay between 8 and 15 eggs in a clutch.
After laying a clutch of eggs, the turkey will incubate them for round 28 days till they hatch. Throughout incubation, the turkey will rotate and have a tendency to the eggs, retaining them at a continuing temperature till they hatch.
It’s price noting that home turkeys might lay extra or fewer eggs at a time than their wild counterparts, as selective breeding and different components can have an effect on their egg-laying patterns.
What Coloration are Turkey Eggs
Turkey eggs have a tough, sturdy shell that ranges in coloration from pale cream to a medium brown. The precise coloration can range relying on the breed of turkey and the person chicken.
Some turkey eggs might seem to have speckling or recognizing on the shell, whereas others could also be a strong coloration.
It’s necessary to notice that the colour of the eggshell doesn’t have an effect on the style, high quality or dietary worth of the egg. The colour is definitely decided by the breed of the turkey and is unrelated to the egg’s taste…
When Do Turkeys Lay Eggs?
Wild turkeys sometimes lay their eggs from March by means of Could, with peak laying occurring in April. They’ll usually lay their eggs in a shallow despair within the floor or in a hidden location similar to a dense thicket or brush pile.
After laying a clutch of eggs, the feminine turkey will incubate them for about 28 days till they hatch.
Wild turkey hens usually solely lay one clutch of eggs per yr, though they could lay a second clutch if the primary one is destroyed.
In distinction, some domesticated turkeys have been selectively bred for egg manufacturing and their laying patterns can differ considerably from wild turkeys.
Home turkeys are sometimes bred to provide a a lot bigger variety of eggs than wild turkeys, they usually might lay year-round, though their manufacturing might sluggish within the winter months as a result of decreased daylight.
In abstract, wild turkeys sometimes lay their eggs yearly or twice at most, whereas home turkeys might lay eggs year-round.
How Usually Do Turkeys Lay Eggs?
Turkeys don’t lay eggs on daily basis like chickens do. In actual fact, in comparison with chickens, turkeys lay eggs a lot much less often, even in domesticated settings.
On common, a turkey will lay about two to a few eggs per week, however this will range relying on the breed, age, well being, and season.
How Many Eggs Will a Turkey Lay in a Yr?
Wild turkeys will lay round 10 to 18 eggs per yr, whereas domesticated turkeys can lay upwards of 100 eggs in a single yr.
How Will You Know When a Turkey is Going to Lay?
In wild turkeys, it may be troublesome to find out when a feminine turkey goes to start out laying eggs as a result of they don’t exhibit any particular behaviors that sign the beginning of the laying season.
Nonetheless, in case you are observing wild turkeys in a nesting or brooding exercise, similar to a feminine turkey sitting on a nest or chicks following the feminine, it’s doubtless that they’ve already began laying eggs.
In the course of the laying season, feminine turkeys might spend extra time alone or in small teams and could also be extra vocal or aggressive if approached by a possible predator.
In domesticated turkeys, breeders could possibly predict when a turkey goes to start out laying primarily based on the age and breed of the chicken.
As soon as a feminine turkey, also called a hen, reaches sexual maturity, she might begin to vocalize extra often or turn into extra energetic and alert.
Some breeds might exhibit extra pre-laying behaviors similar to looking for a nesting website, scratching on the floor, or laying small mock clutches of eggs.
Nonetheless, these behaviors are usually not all the time an indicator that the turkey goes to start out laying eggs and might range relying on many components.
Do Turkey Eggs Style Completely different from Hen Eggs?
Sure, they do. Turkey eggs are usually acknowledged by people who strive them to have a special style than rooster eggs.
That is due to the distinction in dimension between the 2 forms of eggs, in addition to the variations of their dietary composition.
Turkey eggs are sometimes denser, bigger and richer than rooster eggs and include extra yolk, so that they have a creamier taste. Some individuals additionally describe them as having a barely gamey style.
They could be a distinctive addition to any meal that requires eggs, and they are often ready in the identical manner as rooster eggs.
Are Turkey Eggs Extra Nutritious than Hen Eggs?
Certainly, turkey eggs are usually extra nutritious than rooster eggs on a per-egg foundation. Turkey eggs are bigger and have extra protein, which makes them a terrific alternative for individuals on a high-protein weight-reduction plan.
In addition they are a superb supply of vitamin B12, which is necessary for sustaining nerve and blood cell well being, they usually have increased ranges of selenium and riboflavin in comparison with rooster eggs.
Nonetheless, turkey eggs do include extra ldl cholesterol than rooster eggs, so that they is probably not the only option for individuals who must restrict their ldl cholesterol consumption.
Do Folks Eat Turkey Eggs?
Not often, it appears. Turkey eggs are entirely edible, though are usually not a typical meals merchandise in any respect aside from individuals who farm or increase them.
They’re far much less commercially out there than rooster eggs in each market. That is partly because of the truth that turkeys usually lay fewer eggs for consumption, in addition to their larger dimension, which makes them more durable to deal with in a business setting.
Turkeys additionally lay way more slowly and require much more meals than chickens, which means the economics of turkey eggs simply can’t match up towards the ol’ standby rooster egg.
Nonetheless, the individuals who increase and preserve turkeys do get pleasure from their bigger eggs and use them in all the standard recipes similar to omelets or scrambled eggs.
In case you have entry to recent turkey eggs, they are often an fascinating approach to change up your breakfast routine; give them a strive!
