TURKEYS IN CALIFORNIA 109 



choose one that is large and well-boned, and has good color and 

 finish because the male influences the color and general appearance. 



Have the hens as near alike as to size and appearance as is pos- 

 sible; if one is tall and lanky and another short legged .and dumpy 

 they will never appear as a good flock, neither will they fatten alike. 

 The short legged full breasted turkey will not ramble so much as 

 the long legged, lean, lanky type, neither will they require so much 

 feed to fatten them and get ready for market. And these are things 

 one wants to consider in mating up a flock for breeding. 



In this California climate I have seen hens running around with 

 broods at Christmas, and that as far north as Sonoma County. But 

 unless the nest is in a very sheltered place the eggs are liable to get 

 chilled. So the better plan is to remove the first few eggs, leaving a 

 nest egg, and when the hen 'has laid half her clutch, if she is to be 

 allowed to set them herself, give them back to her, and just cover 

 the nest at night with an old piece of cloth. 



Usually the hens lay from eighteen to thirty eggs, but I have 

 had hens lay fifty and as high as seventy-five before wanting to set. 

 But as a rule this is later in the season; the hens that lay first will 

 not lay more than thirty. 



But these first eggs are the ones that should be hatched and raised, 

 for the large Thanksgiving turkeys. The later ones can be carried 

 over for the Christmas holidays. 



A Good Turkey Nest. 



An old barrel with half the staves taken out, the end being set 

 down in the ground on the! windy side and dirt thrown up to the 

 staves, makes .a good, well-sheltered turkey nest. If a length of 

 tar paper or some other roofing paper is fastened over the full 

 length it will be better especially in counties that have heavy winter 

 rains. A turkey likes to feel secluded, and if water and feed are put 

 under the cover of the barrel and vermin kept away there need be 

 no fears as to the results with such a nest. 



During the laying period the hens should be well fed on food 

 rich in protein, and it is well to not let them out of the yards during 

 this period until all the hens have laid. If given their liberty before 

 laying, they are very likely to hunt up a nesting place of their own 

 where it would be hard to keep track of them. 



It takes twenty eight to thirty days to hatch turkey eggs, ac- 

 cording to how the eggs were cared for after being laid, and how old 

 they are. 



When it is possible, several hens should be set at one time, and 

 each should be well dusted, at the time of giving them the eggs, with 



