Peanut Is Laying Eggs and Giving Attitude

Peanut is a bronze turkey. Unlike chickens, turkeys lay eggs seasonally. As far as we've experienced it they lay in Spring. Peanut laid her first egg this year while I was driving my parents back to OH. Yesterday I found Peanut nesting in the corner of the stall.

She was all tucked in and had been putting shaving on her back (I don't know why they do that). I thought she was sitting on an egg so I felt around under her to get it. She gave me such a look. I moved her to find that there was no egg. She settled herself back down with a "See, I tried to tell you. Now leave me alone." Peanut is very affectionate and I have never seen any sort of attitude from her before.

I went about finishing up the barn chores. Getting everybody in and fed for the night. I had gathered all the eggs and was turning off the lights when Peanut started calling. I turned the light back on and went into the stall. Peanut was standing there shaking the shavings off her back. A big speckled egg was at the spot where she had been nesting. She looked at me, all sweet again, saying "Now I'm done and you can take the egg. Thank you very much."


I think I must have moved her right at the time she was about to lay the egg. It might have been uncomfortable to be jostled at the very moment. I have no idea because I've never laid an egg. But don't let anyone tell you that turkeys have no personality or are stupid. Peanut us very sweet, she loves a good tummy scratch, and she is far from stupid.