Female turkeys, known as hens, do lay eggs, a fact often surprising due to the near-total absence of turkey eggs in grocery stores. Their scarcity is less about edibility and more about the biological differences between turkeys and domesticated chickens.
The Turkey Hen’s Reproductive Cycle
Turkey egg laying is strongly tied to seasonal changes, unlike the year-round production of commercial chickens. Production is naturally concentrated during the spring and early summer months, triggered by increasing daylight hours. This means that even with modern farming techniques, the output is inherently less consistent than that of chickens.
A turkey hen lays eggs at a much slower pace than a chicken, which is a major factor in commercial viability. A highly productive chicken can lay an egg nearly every day, potentially yielding over 300 eggs annually. In contrast, a turkey hen typically lays an egg every two to three days, with an annual output averaging closer to 100 eggs.
Physical Characteristics of Turkey Eggs
The turkey egg is noticeably larger than a chicken egg, generally weighing about 50% more. An average turkey egg can weigh around three ounces, making it significantly heftier than a large chicken egg, which weighs approximately two ounces.
The shell of a turkey egg is thicker and more resilient than a chicken egg’s, contributing to its durability but making it slightly tougher to crack. Shell color is typically creamy white or light tan, often adorned with tiny brown speckles that distinguish them from the solid colors seen in most chicken eggs. Inside, the turkey egg features a proportionally larger and denser yolk compared to the white, resulting in a richer, creamier flavor and texture when cooked.
Why Turkey Eggs Are Not Common in Stores
The primary reason turkey eggs are not sold commercially is rooted in economics and logistics. Turkeys are large birds, requiring substantially more feed, space, and time to reach maturity than chickens, which translates directly into a higher cost of upkeep per bird. Furthermore, the low-volume, seasonal laying habit of the hen does not generate enough product to offset these increased operational expenses.
Selling turkey eggs at a price competitive with chicken eggs would result in significant financial losses for a commercial farm. Given the high cost of raising a turkey to maturity, the bird’s value as meat outweighs its value as an egg layer. The industry prioritizes raising turkeys for meat production, especially for holiday consumption, where the financial return is far greater.