364 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



the lower side to let out water which might accumulate. The barrel is placed 

 on its side and the nest within made of clean straw or hay. If the hen avoids her 

 nest, she should be fed close in front of it. If she still refuses to use it, it may 

 be necessary to enclose her until she is content to lay where requested. 



To Prevent Hiding of Nests. If the grower wishes to keep the hens from 

 hiding their nests' and to save all the eggs laid, it may be necessary to confine 

 them. By doing this he can teach them to lay and sit in his prepared nests. If 

 the hens are confined they should be let out each day after they have laid until 

 roosting time when they can be put back into the inclosure. Turkey hens will 

 lay about twenty eggs before becoming broody and then if broken up will lay 

 again. They can be set on their second clutch of eggs, if the eggs are to be 

 hatched out by the hen turkey herself. They are usually hatched under domestic 

 hens. 



Keep Nests Separated. In a large flock of turkeys it is often the case 

 that two or more hens will try to nest close to each other or even together. If 

 this is allowed, trouble is certain to follow unless they become broody at the 

 same time and this seldom happens. Two hens sitting on the same nest will get 

 along fairly well until about the fourth week when they will begin fussing for 

 possession of the eggs. This generally results in the destruction of most of them. 



Keeping Record of Nests. Keeping a record of each nest is very essen- 

 tial. A record is easily kept and is useful for reference. It should show when 

 the hen began to lay, the number of eggs laid, when she became broody, when 

 the eggs hatched, etc. 



Hatching. 



Hatching by Turkey Hens. Turkey hens are rather good mothers. They 

 produce such a limited number of eggs it is seldom necessary to hatch them 

 in an incubator. Turkey hens are practically a necessity for the -successful 

 rearing of poults so they should be permitted to hatch out a few of their eggs 

 at least. This will induce them to brood the poults. 



Hatching by Domestic Hens. If a breeder has only a few turkey hens 

 and wishes to hatch out a large number of poults, he should keep the turkey 

 hens laying and hatch her eggs under large domestic hens. When the turkey 

 hen has laid from fifteen to twenty-three eggs she will want to sit but she can 

 be easily broken up by shutting her in for a few days. After she is given her 

 liberty she will soon begin laying again. The turkey hen can be allowed to sit 

 on some of her second clutch of eggs; in this way many more poults can be 

 hatched than by allowing the turkey hen to sit on her first clutch. 



Hatching with Incubators. Turkey eggs can be hatched in incubators 

 about as well as any others but we believe that the hens themselves will pro- 

 duce the biggest hatch. They will hatch out more of the weak germed eggs. 

 Unless an exceedingly large number of poults are to be hatched the other methods 

 will probably be, the most profitable. It is the prevailing custom to hatch turkey 

 eggs under hens, as most people have more confidence in that method. 



Time Required for Incubation. The period of incubation for turkey eggs 

 is about four weeks, 27 to 29 days. The eggs tliat are fresh when they are 

 put under the hen will hatch before those that have been kept for some time. 



