BROODING AND REARING YOUNG STOCK 



them. By repeating this a few times the turkeys will 

 learn to come to this particular spot to be fed and will 

 roost on the roosts provided for them of their own 

 accord. 



During the summer and the early part of the fall there 

 is a great abundance of feed suitable for turkeys which 

 they can get through their own efforts if they are allowed 

 to range. It is this fact which makes the raising of tur- 

 keys, after they have passed the danger point, such a 

 simple and such a cheap process. The feed which they 

 are able to secure consists of the various weed and grass 

 seeds, the grain which has been shelled in the field, green 

 vegetation and all kinds of insects, especially grasshoppers 

 where they are abundant. In parts of Texas, wild grapes 

 are plentiful and the turkeys eat these readily. More- 

 over, during the fall the turkeys will eat quantities of 

 nuts such as pecans, beech nuts and acorns if these are 

 available, and with a plentiful supply of this feed they will 

 fatten to good advantage of their own accord. Where 

 this natural feed is abundant, therefore, it is unnecessary 

 to provide the birds with any other feed except such as 

 may be given them each night in order to teach them to 

 come home to roost. 



In order to prevent, insofar as possible, the trouble 

 which may occur due to the turkey flock ranging over the 

 neighbors' farms, it may in some cases be desirable to 

 feed more heavily than would otherwise be done in order 

 to reduce their desire for ranging. Even with this pre- 

 caution, however, there is a decided tendency for them to 



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