1100 THE PEOPLE'S FARM AND STOCK CYCLOPEDIA. 



A good sized turkey will cover twenty eggs. It is a good plan 

 to raise a few chickens with each brood, for when chickens and 

 turkeys are raised together the turkeys are less inclined to 

 wander when young, are tamer, and when weaned will learn to 

 come home at night with their foster brothers and sisters. And 

 besides, when turkeys and chickens are raised together the grown 

 turkeys seldom fight chickens. 



Do n't set turkey eggs too early ; as a general thing it is not 

 advisable to have them hatch before the grass is well started. 

 When the turkey hen sits in her own nest out of doors, let her 

 alone. Some turkey-raisers recommend taking the sitting turkey 

 from her nest every day for feed and water, but we don't 

 believe in it. Turkeys are close sitters, but they are not bent 

 on starving themselves to death, and if left to act their own 

 pleasure they will usually come off every other day, and if they 

 are reasonably tame they will come around the buildings for 

 food. When possible set two or three turkeys at one time; 

 then, when they hatch, give all the young to one hen and the 

 others will lay again. These late hatched turkeys will make 

 fine birds for the late winter market. 



When the turkey eggs are set under hens follow the same 

 directions that have already been given for preparing nests for 

 sitting hens. Unless the nest is on the ground, the sprinkling 

 of the eggs during the last three weeks of incubation must be 

 carefully attended to. 



When the young turkeys are first hatched let them severely 

 &lone for the first twenty-four hours ; they do not need food 

 before the expiration of that time, and as they are delicate at 

 first handling injures them ; in fact, a good many are killed 

 outright by much handling while they are very young. When 

 they are twenty-four hours old the turkeys will be quite strong 

 on their feet, and with the mother should be removed to a coop 

 which should be clean and dry and have a board floor covered 

 with sand or gravel. 



The first food for young turkeys should be the same as for 

 young chickens hard boiled eggs, curds, and stale bread crumbs 

 moistened with milk, and for the first two weeks feed nothing 



