374 THE RURAL EFFICIENCY GUIDE STOCK 



tend over the sides of the box. In this, make a good nest of fine excelsior. 

 Put the bird on its back in the nest and cover it with the projecting paper. 

 Put enough excelsior on top to prevent shifting and nail up the box. This 

 method of packing a bird insures a fine appearance when it arrives at its 

 destination. (See illustration). 



VALUABLE POINTS FOR SUCCESSFUL TURKEY RAISING. 



1. The young turkey should never be permitted to get wet : the slightest 

 dampness is generally fatal to him. 



2. Feed nothing from 24 to 36 hours after they are hatched. 



3. Never use an old coop without first cleaning it thoroughly, inside and 

 out, as described under "Coops". 



4. Before 'putting the little poults into a coop, see that they are perfectly 

 clean and free from lice. Dust them with a good insect powder at least twice 

 a week. 



5. Look for mites and large lice on the necks, heads and vents. Prac- 

 tically all the young poults that die, die from lice. 



6. Keep the hen free from lice. Dust her every week with lice powder. 

 Give her a good dust bath in which to dust herself. 



7. For lice, grease the necks, heads and rumps with lard. Never use 

 kerosene. Do not use too much lard and work it well into the down. If too 

 much lard has been applied, the down will stick together. 



8. Dirt and filth will make very short work of young poults. 



9. Give water in shallow vessels so they can not get wet above the beaks. 



10. Remove coops to new ground every day to avoid disease and furnish 

 fresh grass. 



11. Tend to the poults carefully until they are well feathered. Have them 

 in the open on dry warm days. 



12. An open shed, facing south, with a high roost is best for growing turkeys. 

 13. One mating of male and female fertilizes all the eggs laid in one 



season, so one male will be enough for 12 or more hens. 



14. A good mating is made by two-year-old gobblers with pullets or year- 

 ling gobblers with old hens. It is better not to mate gobblers and hens of the 

 same age. 



15. Turkeys can be successfully hatched in an incubator and reared in a 

 brooder until they are 3 months old, but in lots of no more than 25, because they 

 require constant attention. 



16. Do not mate a 40-pound gobbler with a little hen as injury is liable to 

 result. Use a medium sized gobbler. The poults take their size more from the 

 hen. 



17. Many farmers use capons to mother young poults. They make 

 splendid nurses. 



18. One can tell a young gobbler by his masculine appearing head, heavy 

 caruncles, the development of "tassels" on his breast, and his heavy build. 



