Turkey eggs?

[GH85Carrera]

Looking out the front window this morning, I saw a large white object in the grass that I though was a piece of paper or debris from the high winds recently. It was raining a bit, so I was in no hurry to inspect it.

Then when driving off to an errand, I was what was clearly an large egg. I investigated, and sure enough an egg larger than any chicken egg ever. And the thing in the front yard was another egg 25 feet away from the first egg. We have seen a turkey hen in the area a few times in recent days. Maybe a racoon or some critter found them and ate them in our yard. There are no turkey nests in our yard.

There was no evidence of a yolk, or the egg whites. I was wondering if they were hatched eggs. Where do turkeys normally lay eggs? I assume on the ground, but I would think the hen would be sitting on the eggs, and we don't see the turkey but just occasionally.

We live in a suburban neighborhood with people walking dogs, and out and about regularly. It is not like a sparrow nest that can be hard to see.

Just a mystery where two eggs came from out in the front of the house. Mystery of the day.

[sc_rufctr]

Do you have Foxes in the area? They're notorious for killing chickens and stealing eggs.

Interesting speckling on the eggs shells. Often eggs are a very similar color to the bird that laid them.

[wdfifteen]

They look like turkey eggs to me. Raccoons tend to chow down wherever the find eggs. I don't know about foxes. It's possible the eggs hatched and a bird or some critter carried the shells off. I've seen that done with song bird eggs.

[GH85Carrera]

This is from my security video camera of the turkey. It has hopped the fence and pecked around in the back yard flower beds and front flower beds. No sign of eggs before the two in the original post.

I know for sure with Reuben the bunny killer dachshund we do not have any nests in the back yard. Am Mrs. Carrera is in the flower gardens regularly. The eggs did not come from our yard.

[wdfifteen]

That looks like a guinea fowl. Black and gray, about the size of a chicken, same body shape and body to head ratio as in the picture. But if it's bigger than a chicken, it's turkey with a small head.

[juanbenae]

It is hatching season. There is what I believe to be a hen that is in her 3rd season here at my place. Last couple years she'd start with like 10 chicks, only 2 grew into what would be considered 3/4 size last spring. This year counted 8 at the 1st sighting, and she was down to 5 last night when they went by like clockwork everyday around 5PM. Pretty sure she nests in an area of heavy brush between my place and the road which is like 1/4 mile from my house. Seems like a good plan as it's a pretty heavily traveled road that in my estimation could help in keeping predators away.

Once they hatch and start moving around, they become much more vulnerable. My cat watches her go by with the brood but will not approach cause he recognizes she is bigger than him.

[GH85Carrera]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

That looks like a guinea fowl. Black and gray, about the size of a chicken, same body shape and body to head ratio as in the picture. But if it's bigger than a chicken, it's turkey with a small head.

That was from last year. She has grown. 100% sure it is a turkey that most of the neighbors have seen as well.

There is a flock of them a mile east of our house.

It just amazed me to see the egg shells in our front yard.

[ramonesfreak]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

That looks like a guinea fowl. Black and gray, about the size of a chicken, same body shape and body to head ratio as in the picture. But if it's bigger than a chicken, it's turkey with a small head.

Yup. My neighbor has a few and they get out and walk around the neighborhood. They look just like the photo

[stevej37]

Turtle eggs...the female couldn't find any diggable soil.