TURKEY RAISING 



the top with wire netting to prevent the torn from escap- 

 ing. It is unnecessary to clip the wing of domesticated 

 gobblers for they will stay with the hens. 



Feeding the Breeding Stock 



To be in good breeding condition the birds should come 

 through the winter in good condition of flesh but not 

 fat. If they are fed too much corn throughout the winter 

 there is quite a likelihood of their being too fat when 

 the breeding season opens. Where the birds have free 

 range they are able to get for themselves a varied sup- 

 ply of feed including grass, tender shoots, young leaves, 

 insects and nuts and seeds of various kinds. This is 

 particularly true during the breeding season in the South, 

 and where an abundance of this kind of natural food is 

 available one good feed daily of grain such as oats or 

 wheat will suffice to keep the birds in good breeding 

 condition. 



In the North where the winters are more severe turkey 

 raisers generally feed the birds twice a day. A good 

 feed for this purpose is one consisting of equal parts of 

 oats, wheat and corn together with some vegetables such 

 as beets, cabbages, turnips, potatoes, clover or alfalfa for 

 a green feed. Another good feed for breeding turkeys 

 consists of 3 or 4 parts of oats to i part of corn. Some 

 turkey raisers also like to leave bran where the turkeys 

 can help themselves at any time. Buckwheat is relished 

 by turkeys when they are used to it, but should not be 

 used exclusively as a grain feed. Some animal feed dur- 



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