The Breckenridge news. (Cloverport, Ky.) 1876-1955, 1921-04-06
TURKEY HEN IS
FAITHFUL IF PRO-
PERLY MANAGED
Nests followed Out on the
Ground, Covered With Straw
and Carefully Protected are
Ideal-Care of Eggs.

Chickens hens and incubators can be
and often are used successfully Tor
Matching turkey eggs, but the surest
means. United States Department OF
Agriculture poultry specialists say. Is
70 use the turkey hen and give her
proper management Turkey hens are
close sitters and will cover, so there
will be no danger of chilling. from -
to Is eggs. depending on the size OF
the hen.
Nests for setting turkeys and chick
en- hens are best made on the GROUND
by following out little earth, that
sthe center is deep enough to keep the
eggs from rolling out of the nest n
thin covering of clean straw or nay
can then be used to prevent the eggs
from being directly on the ground
and large. roomy coop should be
placed over the nest to keep the hen
from being disturbed When mum
her of hens are to be set. long row
of nests can easily be made on the
ground. separating them with board
partitions. II this is done care must be
taken to see that when the hens come
off the nests each returns to the righf
one instead of crowding into nest
with another hen and leaving some OF
the eggs to become chilled. With only
a few hens it is better to set them
some distance apart. as they Will then
require less attention.
When a Hens in Ernest
When hen becomes broody and
shows that she is earnest by remain
ing on her nest for two or three nights
she may safely be trusted with the
eggs, provided she is allowed to SIT
in that nest. If she is to be set in an
other nest. as is usually the case. then
she should be removed to the new
nest. preferably after dark. given
few nest eggs. and shut in to prevent
her from returning to the old one. IT
she sits quietly on the nest eggs she
should be taken off on the evening OF
the following day. and the eggs to be
incubated placed in the nest On be
ing freed. she probably will return to
her old nest: if so. she should be
should be carried back and set quiet
" on the eggs. She should be handled
in this manner until on being let OFT
she returns to the new nest rather
than to the old one 1t sometimes
takes only two or three days, and
seldom more than week, to break
a hen from returning to her old nest
Turkey hens do not ordinarily come
off for feed and water more than once
every , or 3 days. but when confined
they should have a chance to come OIL
every day. Occasionally a turkey hen
does not come off at all, and in such
La col, M a
day. as otherwise she will die on the
nest.
On coming off her nest the first
thing a turkey hen does is to stretch
her wings. step gingerly for few
steps. and then she often takes run
ming start and flies for a short dis
lance Exercise of this sort helps.
greatly to keep a sitting hen in good
condition, and for this reason it is not
well to conhne her to a small space A
dust bath is greatly enjoyed by sit
ting hens. and helps to keep them free
from vermin, Whole corn is good
feed, and fresh water and grit should
always be accessible
Lice are a great annoyance to sit
ting hens. and are one OF the worst
enemies of young poults To prevent
their getting a start. the hen should be
busted thoroughly with sodium fuo-
ride or some good lice powder before
she is placed on the nest. The nesting
material should be kept clean. and if
the eggs become dirty they should be
washed with a soft cloth dipped in
lukewarm water. Just before the
poults are to hatch. the old nesting
material should be replaced with clean
straw.
Incubation Period
The incubation period OF turkey
eggs is % days The first egg is usual
ly pipped during the first part of the
twenty-seventh day. the first poult
Matched by the middle of that day, and
the hatch completed at the end OF IS
days. although in extreme cases all
the the poults are not Matched before
the end of 30 days. Turkey eggs are
tested for fertility and for dead germs,
as a rule. on the tenth and twentieth
days.