336 THE BEGINNER IN POULTRY 



male. Turkeys weighing 40 pounds and upward are 

 used to attract attention and interest in city shops at 

 holiday times. Mr. Felch thinks 28 pounds is the heaviest 

 male that should be used, and that the progeny of such 

 a one will average as heavy as those of a larger torn. 

 The size required in the market varies with the season. 



If the first stock or breeding birds on a place are 

 raised with hens, the flocks will always be less wild ; 

 but it is not advisable to make a business of raising the 

 turkeys in company with the other fowls. Indeed, the 

 less this is done, the better. Some of the best breeders 

 inclose plots of several acres, especially for the breeding 

 turkeys. A firm which used to sweep everything at 

 the New York show, raised its turkeys on a small is- 

 land, where they could be as near to a state of nature 

 as possible; though the young were always fed and 

 watched carefully. 



Turkeys love to steal their nests, and do not tend to 

 desert a nest which suits them. It is best to place 

 barrels in sheltered, aloof places near the buildings. 

 Turkeys like barrels for nests. These may be roofed 

 with a sheet of roofing paper, for better shelter. They 

 need to be blocked up so that they shall not roll or rock, 

 and it is better to have the front end slightly lower, 

 though the nest itself should be built level in the bottom. 

 Turkeys often lay three clutches, if the earlier eggs are 

 given to hens to incubate. These litters vary from eight 

 or ten to more than twenty, sometimes. Late turkeys 

 are not very desirable. A common hen may cover nine 

 turkey eggs ; a turkey hen fifteen, which will average 

 high in fertility, even though one mating serves for the 

 season. The poults are very weak and tender at the 



