INCUBATION OF TURKEY EGGS 



cause them to lay a second and third litter so that more 

 eggs for hatching will be available and more poults can 

 be raised. Some turkey growers hatch the turkey eggs in 

 incubators entirely, even though they use the turkey hens 

 to brood the poults. The idea in this case is to save the 

 condition of the hens by not confining them and subject- 

 ing them to the long period of inactivity while they are 

 hatching. Since it is by all means desirable to give the 

 poults to turkey hens to raise, it is good practice to set a 

 sufficient number of turkey hens about a week before the 

 e ggs, which may be under chicken hens or in an incu- 

 bator, are due to hatch. These hens may be given a few 

 of the eggs from the incubator or the chicken hens or 

 they may be set on a nest egg or two. If they are allowed 

 to hatch a few of the eggs themselves it is an easy matter 

 to slip more newly hatched poults under them from the 

 chicken hens or from the incubator. If the turkey hens 

 are not allowed to hatch any of the eggs themselves but 

 are set on nest eggs a newly hatched poult or two can be 

 slipped under each turkey hen at night and in most cases 

 they will mother these poults and others by morning. 



Number of Eggs to Set 



There should be a very definite understanding as to 

 what constitutes the proper number of eggs to set. Never 

 give the turkey hen or a chicken hen more eggs than 

 she can cover well. Turkey hens will ordinarily cover 

 from 15 to 1 8 eggs to good advantage, depending on 



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