Show i TURKEYS LAY THREE LITTERS Hatched Later Than Juno Do De DoNot DoNot Not Develop for Thanksgiving Markets Prepared by the United States Department of Agriculture Soon Boon after mating turkey hens hena begin begin begin be be- gin to look for tor nesting places and usually commence laying In from a week to 10 O days after atter the first mating maUng One mating Is sufficient to fertilize al althe all the eggs eggs' of ot one litter Utter but the hens ordinarily mate three or four tour times before before before be be- fore beginning to lay All AU turkey hens oo o ot cour course do not begin laying at th the same time and In a flock fiock of about 15 It may be six sir weeks or more from the time the tile first hen begins to lay Iny until t the e last begins Pullets usually commence com com- commence mence laying a little earlier than yearlings or older hens say poultry specialists In the United States Dep Department Department De De- p of ot Agriculture The average number of ot eggs in la the first litter Is about 18 although In Individual hens It may vf vary ry from 12 to 80 30 Hens that do not have to be se set can be broken up on becoming bro broody y yand and made to lay a a second or a third thin litter Utter The number of ot eggs laid In th the second litter averages about 12 and In the third about 10 although there thero Is considerable variation variation In the egg p pro production of ot different bens hens henss Some turk turkey y hens bens can be made t to tolay to tolay lay four or five litters but this Is no not usually advisable as' as as hatched batched later Inter than June do not have a chance chanc to develop ifor or the Thanksgiving an and Christmas markets and are not sum mature by the to following spring to be used as breeders A hen that begins begins begins be be- I gins laying In the middle of March will wll usually finish laying her first litter early In April her s 's second cond litter JItter about abou j I i 1 t i I Bronze Turkey Hen Hen the third week In May Hay depending upon upon up up- on the number of ot eggs she ahe lays and Ithe the pro promptness pt with which she la is broken up on or becoming broody Hens that are allowed to hatch and raise a a brood of ot after atter laying their first litter Utter often otten begin laying again In the fall but hatched hatchet at nt that time are of ot little value except I for broilers as they require too much care and attention to carry them through the winter hatched Fall d pullets pullets pullets pul pul- lets begin laying late the following spring but they are Immature at that thai time and hatched from their eggs d do not dev develop lop Into large strong birds as do from mature st stock k |