MANAGEMENT OF TURKEYS 



197 



such an inclosure for only about a week or ten days. As they in- 

 crease in size, and as their wings grow, they fly over low obstacles 

 as easily and naturally as little chickens scratch or as little ducks 

 swim. Having once flown out of the pen, they cannot be kept 

 in it or in any inclosure that has not a high fence or a cover. 

 When only two weeks old, little Bronze Turkeys have been seen 

 flying to the top of a five-foot fence and, after a few efforts, 

 reaching it with seeming ease. No matter how contented old 

 turkeys that produced them may have been in confinement, 

 young turkeys become restless as soon as their wings and legs 

 are strong, and, unless prevented from doing so, will begin 

 to roam long dis- 

 tances. They do not 

 wait for the mother, 

 whether fowl or tur- 

 key, to take the initi- 

 ative and lead them. 

 If she is not dis- 

 posed to rove, they 

 start and let her 

 follow. A turkey 

 hen quickly catches 



FIG. 162. Turkey brood coop. (Photograph from 



the Bureau of Animal Industry, United States 



Department of Agriculture) 



their spirit and goes with them and keeps them together ; a fowl 

 is likely to follow them reluctantly, allow them to scatter, and 

 lose a part of the brood. 



When the little turkeys have reached this stage, the best 

 plan of managing them depends upon circumstances. If there 

 is little danger of enemies disturbing them, they may be given 

 a light feed in the morning and then allowed to forage where 

 they please, the person in charge looking occasionally to see 

 that they do not go too far and, if necessary, bringing them 

 back or starting them off in another direction. In case of a 

 sudden, hard shower the turkeys must be looked up, and if any 

 have been caught out in the rain and have been chilled and 



