TURKEYS 269 



vented from doing this, however, by keeping her 

 cooped or tied up. On the other hand, the chicken 

 hen is more easily handled and thus is more 

 likely to encourage tameness in her flock. She 

 is far more certain to mother her brood in her 

 coop than the turkey hen is. The turkey hen has 

 to be carefully taught to bring her brood to the 

 brooding quarters at night. 



Because of objections to the chicken hen the prac- 

 tice is common of setting several hens at the same 

 time that a turkey hen is set, so that the little ones 

 may be given to the turkey either as soon as hatched 

 or when the chicken hen weans her brood. There 

 is no special objection to this latter practice, be- 

 cause turkey hens are not so averse to taking alien 

 broods as are chicken hens, especially if the broods 

 are brought together during the night. 



No special directions need be given as to setting 

 hens on turkey eggs; the practice is the same as 

 for hen's eggs. Usually ordinary hens will cover 

 eight to ten eggs; large ones perhaps two or three 

 more. It is generally necessary to let turkey hens 

 sit where they wish. They choose their own nests 

 and object to being moved. This applies with 

 special force to turkey hens that are more or less 

 wild. Turkey hens may be moved in much the 

 same way that chicken hens usually are, viz., at 

 night, supplied with nest eggs for a day or so and 

 when found satisfied given the regular clutch. 

 Small turkey hens will cover 13 to 15 eggs ; large 

 ones perhaps 18 or 20. 



It is usual for turkey eggs to be fertile. On this 

 account it is not essential to test them, as chicken 

 eggs are tested. Ordinarily, the only test is made 

 about the twenty-sixth day. Then the eggs are placed 



