Brooding poults by turkey hens is not difficult, although several details
should receive careful attention. As soon as the hatch is completed and
the poults begin to run out from under the sitting hen, transfer the hen
and her brood to a coop. A coop of simple design, such as the =A=-shaped
type (fig. 10), large enough to accommodate a turkey hen comfortably,
and well built to protect the brood from rains and natural enemies, is
all that is required. It should be about 5 feet long, 3 feet wide, and 3
feet high, with a raised, rat-proof floor. Provide good-sized screened
openings for ventilation in hot weather. These openings should be so
fixed that rain will not beat into the coop. Have a separate coop for
each hen, and if there are several broods, place the coops some distance
apart on well-drained soil where the grass is fairly short.
[Illustration: Figure 10.--A well-built brood coop which can be
used either for setting a turkey hen or for raising a brood of poults.]
For the first day or so it is well to confine the poults in the coop
with the mother hen. Then make a small yard, using boards or wire around
the front of the coop, and allow the poults to run in and out at will.
However, they should not be allowed to run in long, wet grass, and during
heavy rains they should be confined to the coop. Move the coop and yard
to fresh ground every few days, clean it once a week or more frequently,
and disinfect it occasionally. When the poults are about a week old
the mother hen may be allowed to roam with her brood, but care should
be taken to see that the entire brood returns in the evening and is
protected at night from predatory animals. Good results may be obtained
by keeping the mother hens confined and allowing the poults to range, but
the brood should be properly sheltered during rainstorms or damp weather,
which are likely to cause high mortality. The poults may be kept with the
mother hen for 3 months or more, but better results are usually obtained
by moving them to a separate rearing field on clean ground when they are
from 8 to 10 weeks old. If they have shelter and will roost, they are
better off without the hens after that age. A turkey hen will raise up to
20 poults successfully, but more than 20 can sometimes be placed with a
hen in warm weather.