MANAGEMENT OF THE BREEDING STOCK 



range. This is a very desirable practice if the danger 

 of loss of the eggs is not too great and if the number of 

 hens involved is not so many as to make the work of 

 looking after them in the nests which they steal too 

 burdensome. Where a larger number of hens is kept 

 it is best to provide a roomy enclosed pen or breeding 

 yard, and many raisers prefer to do this even with a 

 smaller number of hens on account of the time saved in 

 looking after the turkeys, the ease of locating the nests 

 and the fact that all eggs laid are thus secured. 



Sometimes the breeding pens are comparatively small 

 in area, but it is best to allow an acre or two of ground 

 for this purpose even if no more than 20 or 30 hens are 

 kept. When a small breeding pen or yard is utilized the 

 practice should be to keep them shut up during the morn- 

 ing and about half of the afternoon. By that time prac- 

 tically all of the eggs will have been laid and the turkeys 

 can then be turned out of the pen and allowed to roam at 

 will during the rest of the day and to roost out where 

 they wish at night. Even when large breeding yards are 

 used this is good practice. Early in the morning they 

 should be driven back into the pen, which will be found to 

 be easy of accomplishment if the birds are fed in the en- 

 closure regularly each morning. An orchard makes a 

 very desirable breeding enclosure for the turkey hens. 

 Such a place enclosed with a hog-tight wire fence 3 feet 

 high will usually serve to hold the turkeys especially if no 

 board or rail is used at the top of the fence. Where such 

 a rail or a wooden fence is used the turkeys see a place to 



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