TURKEY RAISING 



Management of Growing Turkeys 



As soon as the young turkeys are six weeks old they are 

 old enough to go to roost. Most turkey raisers allow the 

 birds to roost out in the open in trees or on fences. Some 

 turkey raisers, however, build roosts especially for them. 

 If high winds are prevalent it is well to build the turkey 

 roosts next to the barn or some shed which will afford pro- 

 tection from the wind. It is natural for turkeys to roost 

 high and it is well therefore to construct the roosts for 

 them set up on posts at least 5 or 6 feet from the ground. 

 Often they are built higher than this, sometimes as high as 

 8 or 10 feet. In the latter case, however, it is necessary to 

 provide roosts of intermediate height or cleated runways 

 by means of which the younger turkeys can get up to the 

 higher roosts. High roosts are desirable since they pro- 

 tect the birds from loss due to foxes or coyotes. In sec- 

 tions where difficulty is experienced owing to thefts of 

 turkeys, it is well to construct the roosts near the residence 

 so that any disturbance can be heard. Sometimes a 

 guinea chick or two is raised with the turkeys and will 

 remain and roost with them. If there is any disturbance 

 during the night the guinea will make a great uproar and 

 serve as an alarm. 



It is possible to teach the young turkeys to roost 

 wherever desired. This is done by driving them up to 

 the place where they are to roost and feeding them there 

 just before dark. If they are held in this place until dusk 

 falls they will then go to roost on the places provided for 



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