On the Rearing and Management of Poultry. 189 



a coclv^ proceeds as I have stated above. This takes place in 

 February, March, or April. About a fortnight from this date 

 (Feb. 26) one of our turkeys commenced to lay. 



Some turkeys lay every day ; some lay two days, and miss the 

 third ; while others lay only every other day. 



The turkey-cock, in a state of nature, is ever seeking to destroy 

 the eofSfs of the hen : and she, to delude him, seeks some secluded 

 place in which to make her nest. In a domestic state, they in a 

 great measure still retain the same propensities ; it is therefore 

 necessary to examine the hens every morning during the laying 

 season, and keep in those that have to lay that day. If the hens 

 be allowed to seek nests for themselves, the eggs are very fre- 

 quently destroyed by magpies, rats, weasels, &c., or are lost. 



The number of eggs laid by the turkey at one laying varies from 

 twelve to twenty — most generally sixteen or seventeen ; a number 

 quite sufficient to be securely covered. 



The eggs should be taken from the nest every day as soon as 

 convenient, and placed in a vessel containing bran, or some other 

 bad conductor of heat. We have not tried crushed charcoal, but 

 we think it would answer very well. 



The desire a turkey displays to sit is known by her remaining 

 on the nest. It is not desirable that she should have the eggs 

 immediately given to her ; it is best to test her constancy for two 

 or three days, at the end of which, should she prove true, they 

 must be o-iven to her — care beino^ taken to have the e^^s, if thev 

 be not all her own, near of the same age. To accomplish this, 

 the eggs should have the date on A'thich they were laid marked on 

 them with a pencil. 



The management should be such as to prevent other hens from 

 laying in the nests occupied by those sitting; but as " accidents 

 do occur in the best-regulated families," the eggs with which the 

 turkey or other fowl is set should be marked to distinguish them 

 from those which may afterwards be laid. 



Some people recommend the setting of two turkeys at the same 

 time, so as to be able to give both broods to one hen, that the 

 other may again be at liberty to commence laying, and of course 

 a second brood is got much sooner. On this mode of proceeding 

 1 offer no opinion. 



So closely does the turkey-hen sit during the time of incuba- 

 tion, that very frequently she has to be forced off the nost. This 

 must be daily attended to, otherwise, from want of food, she will 

 get much reduced. We need not insist on the necessity of abun- 

 dant feeding. The turkey is rather an absent bird, and so much 

 does she enjoy herself when from her nest, that she ofteri forgets 

 to return to it in due time. The poultry-keeper must see to this. 



