628 Journal of Agriculture, Victoria. [10 Oct., 1918. 



bird should be transferred to a nest on the ground. The best nnaterial 

 of which to make nests is pine needles, as these will not harbor vermin 

 as straw does. The nest should be protected from the hot sun and the 

 rain and cold winds. The sitting hen should be removed from the eggs 

 once a day, so that she may be fed and have a dust bath, the latter con- 

 sisting of wood ashes, sand, and sulphur. It would be well to dust both 

 the sitter and her nest occasionally with some material that will destroy 

 lice. The powder known as '' Pestend," which consists largely of tobacco 

 dust, is recommended. If the hen be treated properly she will bring 

 out two or three hatches if required. Better results will be obtained if, 

 during the last five days of incubation, the eggs are placed in an 

 incubator instead of being left under the hen. 



Treatment of Young Turkeys. 



The chicks do not require any food the first day they are hatched. 

 On the second day they should be given some rice that has been boiled 

 in milk. The best way of feeding the rice is as follows : — After boiling 

 dry it off with raw oatmeal, and mix with it some fine chaffed green 

 stuff, such as lucerne, milk thistles, rape, or cape-weed, and hard-boiled 

 eggs in the proportion of one for every ten chicks. Add a teaspoonful 

 of powdered charcoal, and give to the chicks in a crumbly condition. If 

 possible, new milk should be given to the baby chicks for the first two 

 days at least. 



"When they are a fortnight old they may be fed on a mash, as follows, 

 which is also suitable for the adult birds: — One part pollard, two parts 

 bran, and one part ground wheat, mixed with soup made from liver, 

 rabbits, &c., chaffed green stuff being added later. This mash should be 

 fed to the chicks in a crumbly state at least four times a day. 



When the birds are about ten days old, eight of the leading flights 

 should be pulled from each wing. The object of this operation is to 

 help to conserve the strength of the chicks' bodies, as a certain amount 

 of blood is required to support the growing flights. This operation will 

 give extra strength to the growing birds for five or six weeks, and it 

 should always be carried out, for in its first few weeks the turkey is 

 very delicate, and needs every possible attention. During this period 

 the chicks must be carefully protected from cold, bleak winds, and on 

 no account should they be given their liberty unless the weather is 

 favorable. 



Spring onions or shallots make fine feed for young turkeys, and 

 will hasten their growth and improve their health. From the time they 

 are hatched turkeys should have a regular supply of charcoal, and a 

 little fine sand should be given to the young chicks. Milk curds, either 

 by themselves or mixed with pollard and bran, are essential if the best 

 results are to be obtained. 



When the gobblers are fourteen or sixteen weeks old they should, 

 where practicable, be caponized. Otherwise they should be separated 

 from the breeding flocks, so that strong chicks from the stud birds will 

 be insured for the following season. 



