46 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE GEORGIA. 



to be disturbed by the gobbler. Some allow them to select their 

 own nests for both laying and sitting ; other smove them to houses 

 when they show broody propensities, and confine them upon a sit- 

 ting of eggs, removing them daily for the purpose of taking food, 

 while others still confine the hens daily until they have laid, thus 

 requiring them to lay in the house where they have to sit. 



The hens are very close sitters, and, if not disturbed, usually hatch 

 well under any of the three plans. 



The chicks are apparently stupid when first hatched, and inexpe- 

 rienced breeders become impatient of their delay in taking food. 

 A few hen eggs should be put under each turkey hen six or seven 

 days after she commences to sit upon her own eggs. The chickens 

 will soon teach the young turkeys, which are quite imitative, to eat 

 if such teaching is necessary. 



The young turkeys are very tender and delicate when first 

 hatched, and require very careful housing and feeding for several 

 weeks. If many hens are kept a number of them should be set at 

 the same time, so that the young turkeys hatched by the whole 

 number may be given to a few hens, and the remainder set at liberty 

 to lay another sitting of eggs. ,: 



If only a few hens are kept, and it is desired to secure the maxi- 

 mum number of eggs from them, they need not be allowed to sit 

 at all, but the eggs hatched under chicken hens. 



A larger per cent, of the young turkeys will generally be raised 

 in this way than by the turkeys themselves, and they will have, when 

 grown, less propensity for rambling. 



Again, under this system the turkey hens will lay twice as many 

 eggs as when allowed to sit. Young turkeys are so senitive to cold 

 and dampness that the hen carrying them should be inclosed for 

 some weeks in a well sheltered pen in which there is a plank floor. 

 The young ones may be allowed the liberty of a small run in dry, 

 pleasant weather, but must be scrupulously protected from rain and 

 not allowed to run in grass which is wet with dew or rain. 



The floor of the pen must be kept clean, and dry, and pure, fresh 

 water kept constantly within their reach. The vessel in which water 

 is given them must be so shallow as to avoid all risk of drowning 

 the young. 



For some weeks after hatching the young turkeys are very sub- 

 ject to diarrhoea, and hence the utmost care must be exercised in 



