Have you ever thought of whipping up a batch of turkey eggs or making turkey egg omelets? I’d venture to say most people haven’t thought about this, but why?

Let’s find out all about turkey eggs, whether you can eat them or not, and more!

Turkey proudly standing with blurred background of wooded area

Can We Eat Turkey Eggs?

Believe it or not, you can most certainly eat turkey eggs. There is not a single reason that you can’t eat turkey eggs – except for the fact that you might be weirded out about the thought. And if you do eat turkey eggs, will you live to tell the story? 😆

Yes, you will live. They taste identical to chicken eggs and have the same basic set of minerals and vitamins. Indeed, they have vitamin b, magnesium, folic acid, phosphorus, calcium, zinc, potassium, sodium, and more! So there is no reason to be afraid.

So why do we hear about chicken eggs, quail eggs, and duck eggs – but not turkey eggs? I mean let’s be real, have you ever seen a dozen turkey eggs on sale at your local grocery store? Or even a specialty store? No….and why is that?

The reason is not some super secret, it’s quite simple in fact. Turkeys don’t lay as many eggs each year as chickens do. And in addition to that, they don’t start laying quite as early as chickens (chickens start at 5 months, turkeys at 7). And finally, they eat a whole lot more food to produce to small number eggs of they lay (compared to chickens).

Due to the obvious scarcity of their eggs, it’s simply not profitable for the commercial industry to raise turkeys for eggs since turkeys lay eggs so infrequently.

Have Turkey Eggs Ever Been a Thing?

Yes, they used to be quite popular. But this was looonnnggg before the fast-paced commercialization Americans sought after. In the late 1800’s they were a regular menu item in homes and in restaurants. They were favorites of chefs and food connoisseurs.

But once things became industrialized and commercialized turkey eggs faded into the background.

How Many Eggs Do Turkeys Lay Each Year?

Turkey hens lay about 100 eggs per year. Compare that to chickens who can lay over 300 eggs a year (commercial breeds) and you can see why chicken eggs abound. Mature female turkeys only lay about 2 eggs per week.

Turkey eggs are much larger than chicken eggs, but it still doesn’t make up for the lack of numbers.

What Do Turkey Eggs Taste Like?

Turkey eggs taste a lot like rainbow sherbet….okay, I’m kidding but I got your attention. The real answer is not riveting as sherbet, but good to know. Turkey eggs taste like chicken eggs.

Eggs of turkeys also have very similar nutritional value as chicken eggs. They do have more fat and calories than chicken eggs per gram. They have about 11 grams of protein and 9 grams of fat per egg. It is important to note that they also have a higher level of cholesterol than chicken eggs (some reports say that have twice as much cholesterol).

You can read about the nutrition of a turkey egg here.

Turkey eggs in a wooden bowl

Where Can You Buy Turkey Eggs?

Since you can’t go to your local Walmart to buy turkey eggs, what’s a turkey egg-craving person supposed to do? You can try local farms, farmers’ markets, and breeders who might sell turkey eggs.

Or….wait for it….you can get your own turkeys! What a glorious thought, you’d be all the rage in your neighborhood. I actually have neighbors who have three turkeys in their fenced-in front yard! They are very majestic I must admit (as long as you don’t look at their ugly faces).

But before you run out and buy some turkeys to add to your poultry flock, do your research. They take a little bit different care than chickens do.

Summary

You can eat turkey eggs, they are just hard to find and very expensive because turkeys aren’t great egg producers. I guess they have to put all their energy into getting fat for Thanksgiving 😣. Their eggs taste like chicken eggs and have lots of vitamins and minerals, but they also have more fat, calories, and cholesterol.

If nothing else, you should get some and try them for fun. And while you are at it, try some quail eggs and duck eggs too.

Want more nutritional eggs from your chickens or turkeys? Try treating your birds with some protein-packed treats like these! You won’t be sorry.

Leah Betts

A happy wife, mother, teacher, writer, hobby farmer, lover of chickens, and contributor to Pampered Chicken Mama!