292 Farm Poultry 



with one male for best results. It will be impossible 

 to give any inflexible rule to govern this phase of 

 the breeding operations, as freedom of exercise, 

 strength, vigor, etc., are important factors bearing 

 on this question. In extreme cases, the results have 

 been all that could be desired, when twenty females 

 were placed with one male; but under ordinary 

 conditions it will be safest if no more than from four 

 to eight females be placed with one male. 



Care and food for the young. Newly hatched 

 poults .are very delicate and require close atten- 

 tion on the part of the attendant. First of all, they 

 must be kept dry. Wet or damp quarters should be 

 avoided. A dry, porous soil is considered much more 

 satisfactory than a heavy one, though the latter 

 be underdrained. " Young turkeys should not be 

 out in heavy showers until their backs are well 

 covered with feathers. If they get wet, they may die 

 from chill unless put in a warm room to dry. Black 

 or red pepper and ginger in the food or drinking- 

 water aid them to overcome a chill, and are of great 

 value on cold or damp days and are a preventive 

 of bowel troubles in both old and young turkeys."* 



For the first few weeks the young should be kept 

 in dry places and not permitted to travel through 

 tall grass when it is wet. During the warm and dry 

 parts of the day they may be given a run on short 

 grass or cultivated land. Many poultrymen prefer 



* Bulletin No. 25, Rhode Island Agricultural Experiment Station. 



