VOL. LX XXI. 
Publis!ic'<] Weekly by The Bural Publishing Co.. 
333 W. 80th St.. New Voile. Price One Dollar a Year. 
NEW YORK, APRIL 29, 1922 
Kntered as Second-Class Master. June 26. 1879. at the Post 
(<mce at New York. N. Y.. under the Act of March 3, 1379. 
No. 4GS8 
More About the Breeding of Turkeys 
A III 8 Y SEASON.—April is the beginning of the 
busy season with the flock, and we find much 
at this time which cannot he overlooked if we expect 
success. Contrary to the common belief, turkeys are 
not so hard to raise successfully as some would have 
us believe, although there is no time in the year 
when we can neglect details, nor let our interest, lair, 
spontaneous attacks of fever today, and neglect to¬ 
morrow. always spell failure, whether with turkeys 
or any other branch of business. If you are not 
willing to begin right, keep steadily to the line, and 
remember that these birds require a reasonable 
good turkey egg will stand a heap of abuse, but that 
is no reason why you should neglect them, nor leave 
them to chill. We keep our eggs on a rack made of 
lath, especially for the purpose. Each one is marked 
with the date of laying, and all are turned over 
carefully twice each day. Keep in a cool place; 50 
degrees is not far from right, and you should keep 
the eggs covered with a woolen cloth which is mois¬ 
tened with warm water daily. This prevents drying 
out, and if so treated they will hatch better. If 
left to herself, we all know that a turkey hen goes 
to her nest every day, deposits an egg. and sits on 
suffice, and then cover with the moist cloth and set 
away again. This is a little work, but it is attention 
to the little details that spells success. 
SETTING THE EGGS.—A very common mistake 
with many, especially beginners, is in the fact that 
they put too many eggs under a hen or turkey. Re¬ 
member that turkey eggs are big. and that it re¬ 
quires more heat to hatch them than it does liens' 
eggs; therefore a lien cannot cover a large num¬ 
ber and hatch them successfully. Take two hens, for 
instance; place 12 eggs under one, and five under 
the other, leave them entirely alone, and at the end 
4 3' “V ■ < ► 
... , ... \ - - 
- •'*> - ■ ' • . - ■ 
■ ' 
•i Flock of Mammoth Bronze Turkeys at Lunch Time. Fig. 25} 
amount nf daily attention, you might as well give 
them up, since you will only meet disappointment. 
On the other hand, if you can spare the necessary 
time, you will find that there is nothing in the farm 
line that will net you larger profit for the amount of 
cash and time invested than the turkeys will. Some 
have written personal letters asking about breeds; 
these will be discussed in a later issue, as the Fall 
season is the proper time to start with a flock of 
breeders, and nothing can be gained here by point¬ 
ing out merits, or demerits, of breeds at this time. 
MANAGEMENT OF EGGS.—Usually by the first 
of April the liens will have selected nests in some 
out-of-the-way place and commenced to lay. At this 
time of the season, with cold nights, you must he 
careful to watch all hens and make sure that eggs 
are carried in so they will not become chilled. A 
those already laid for several hours, which warms 
them up and keeps the germ alive. As she nears 
the sitting stage she stays on a little longer each day. 
until finally site remains on over night, and then 
sticks to her business of incubation, which lasts four 
weeks. In order to imitate the natural methods of 
the turkey hen. if you will bring out the eggs each 
day. uncover them, and place them in the sun, or 
near the kitchen stove, where it is not too warm, 
this will liven up the germ, and the eggs will keep 
much longer, and hatch stronger poults than where 
the eggs are left in a cool place throughout the entire 
time, while waiting for a broody hen. Turkeys eggs 
usually are very fertile: more so, iu fact, than al¬ 
most any other eggs, except ducks, and if given 
right care you have reason to expect excellent 
hatches, Au hour or so of warmer temperature will 
of four weeks you will find that the hen which had 
the small number lias more turkey poults than the 
one with the larger number. Watch your lieu, and 
you will note she continually turns her eggs, chang¬ 
ing them from outside to middle at each turning. If 
she has more than she can properly cover and sup¬ 
ply warmth to. some of them are sure to become 
chilled, and probably all of them, especially if the 
weather is cold while setting. Nine eggs are plenty 
for a fair-sized hen like a Plymouth Rock or Rhode 
Island Red to handle, and not more than 13 to 15 
at the most for any turkey. If you get too many 
there is always the possibility that some are broken 
in the nest, and unless discovered immediately and 
washed with warm water, you will note that those 
remaining are covered with yolk, which has hard¬ 
ened, and thereby spoiled the whole clutch. I never 
