It is natural for turkey hens to seek secluded places to lay their
eggs. Yards that have comparatively short vegetation and are free from
bushes or other places of concealment are best, because such conditions
discourage the birds from laying outside the nests provided for them. A
lookout for hidden nests must be maintained, otherwise eggs may not be
collected regularly and may be frozen, partly incubated, or destroyed by
animals. Sometimes the hidden nests can be found by watching the turkey
hens carefully as they make their way to them, but an easier and quicker
method is to confine the hens early some morning soon after they come
from the roosts and then let them out about 2 p. m.; the laying hens
will make straight for their nests in order to lay the eggs they have
been holding. Nests are easily made of boxes or barrels placed inside
the shelter or outside in the yards. Some turkey growers prefer to build
nesting batteries with nests about 12 by 24 inches.
[Illustration: Figure 9.--Turkey trap nests. The dimensions of
this nest are as follows: Width, 14 inches; depth, 24 inches; height in
front, 19 inches; and height in hack, 45 Inches. The trap-nest fronts may
be home-made, or commercial fronts may be used.]
CARE OF HATCHING EGGS
Hatchability can be seriously damaged by holding eggs at temperatures
above 65° or below 35° F. It is most important to hold eggs in a room
that can be kept below 65°, preferably between 50° and 60°. Eggs should
be collected several times daily and held on their sides or on the small
end. It is best to turn eggs gently once daily while they are being held
for hatching, but this is probably not necessary unless they are to be
kept longer than a week. For best results they should not be held longer
than 10 days but if they are held at a suitable temperature and are
turned once a day, fair hatchability will be retained for as long as 3
weeks.
FEEDING
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