268 MAKING POULTRY PAY 



two covered nests thirty-six inches square. A few 

 brush were thrown in front of each to make them 

 private. The two Bronze hens laid forty-two eggs, of 

 which thirty-seven were fertile and twenty-seven 

 hatched. The two White Hollands laid thirty-six 

 •eggs, of which twenty-seven were fertile and sixteen 

 hatched. The eggs that did not hatch were those laid 

 during the first two weeks. Although the experiment 

 was very limited, it tends to show that a considerable 

 saving can be made by confining turkeys during the 

 laying season, which would avoid loss by the hens 

 stealing their nests and other accidents incident to it. 

 In a commercial way where a large flock is kept, a 

 yard inclosing an acre or more of ground would be 

 •desirable. A seven-foot wire fence will usually con- 

 :fine them. 



Nests — Often large roomy boxes can be utilized 

 very nicely for nesting purposes, but the handiest and 

 iDest thing is a large sugar barrel securely blocked to 

 prevent rolling, with the inside littered with straw or 

 forest leaves. The barrels serve an excellent purpose 

 in more ways than one. They are not only cheap and 

 •easy to get, but owing to their shape make an excel- 

 lent protection for the turkey not only from cold winds 

 and rains, but hot days as well. Very often one finds 

 two, and sometimes even three turkeys, that will insist 

 ■on the same nest, so that it often becomes quite pro- 

 -voking before they can be broken up so that only one 

 will claim the nest. When one uses barrels for nests 

 and such a thing occurs, he has everything his own 

 way; he has but to lean a wide board across the end, 

 leaving a few inches at the top. By such arrangement 

 it is practically impossible for a turkey on the outside 

 to get in, and the inmate of the barrel has but to push 

 ■the board over when she wishes to walk out. \Vhen 

 she returns the board can be replaced. The barrel 



