CHAPTER IV 



Incubation of Turkey Eggs 



Period of Incubation. It requires on the average 

 about 28 days for turkey eggs to hatch. As with any 

 other class of poultry, however, this varies somewhat. 

 The first egg generally pips early on the 27th day and the 

 first poult may be hatched on that day. The hatch should 

 be well completed at the end of the 28th day. In some 

 cases, however, the hatches may be completed slightly 

 before this and in some cases the hatch may not be com- 

 plete before the end of 30 days. It is common practice 

 to test turkey eggs twice during incubation as in the case 

 of hens' eggs for the purpose of detecting and removing 

 infertile eggs and dead germs. This testing should be 

 done on the loth and 2Oth days. 



Testing may be done in a dark room, proceeding ex- 

 actly as with hens' eggs and using a tester similar to that 

 which comes with an incubator. Testing may also be 

 done by means of a tube similar to an ordinary paste- 

 board mailing tube which is cut out at one end so that the 

 egg will fit closely against it. This tube is held up to the 

 eye toward the sun and the egg placed at the other end of 

 the tube. In this position the sunlight shines through and 

 the condition of the egg is easily seen. Such a tube tester 



