BEARING THE TURKEY CHICKS. 



65 



eoal ashes, to prevent damp arising, place the coop, 

 which should be previously lime-washed, over it, facing 

 pouth, and the mother and chicks inside. The poults 

 hatched under common hens should be given the mother 

 turkey in the night. Some breeders prefer bottoms to the 

 coops, but unless the ground be very damp, that is not 

 necessary. If you dusted the mother with insect powder 

 two days before hatching, there will be no lice to annoy 

 them. 



On the second day the chicks may receive their first 

 meal. On one point all turkey growers agree : no "sloppy" 

 food must be giv- j 

 en the young 

 birds. In a nat- 

 ural state, turkey 

 chicks feed large- 

 ly upon flies, spi- 

 d e r s , grasshop- 

 pers, grubs, snails, 

 slugs, worms, ant 

 eggs, etc., and if 

 watched on a 

 bright day will be 



SPPTl to bp OOTl FI * 15 ' PEN T CONFINE ^ITTLE TURKEYS, 

 UNTIL OLD ENOUGH TO JUMP OVER; 



stantly chasing MOTHER AT LIBERTY. 



flies, etc., about the meadows and woods. Berries, seeds, 

 etc., make the variation. The first meal should be hard- 

 boiled eggs (boiled twenty minutes), and stale wheat bread 

 dipped in hot milk, the milk squeezed out, and both crum- 

 bled fine and seasoned with black pepper. This feed may 

 be continued for two or three weeks, with now and then a 

 variation to thick clabbered milk, or Dutch cheese in place 

 of the egg. Let it be known that the egg is a substitute 

 for insects, which the young turkey has in its wild state ; 

 so. as opportunities open for the chicks to get insects, 

 the egg should be omitted. Dry meal must not be given 



