REARING TURKEYS. 219 



or milk may be given, however, by dipping the tip of the 

 finger or a camel-hair pencil in the fluid, and applying it to 

 the end of their beaks. 



And now for the chicks. These are often fed on oatmeal, 

 fee., like the young of other poultry; and it does not answer, 

 as they have a strong tendency to diarrhoea. To meet this, 

 experienced rearers feed for the first few days on little but 

 hard-boiled egg, mixed with some kind of salad, and sometimes 

 after the first day with milk-curd, which must, however, be 

 squeezed very dry. The very best green food right through 

 for young turkeys is dandelion leaves, chopped fine at first ; 

 and where they are regularly reared, it is well worth while to 

 see there is a good supply, which is but too easy. When they 

 have a choice, they always prefer this salad to all others, and 

 its known tonic and biliary properties explain the reason. At 

 all events, nothing more helps turkey chicks to thrive. If these 

 cannot be had, chopped nettles or onions are the next best. 

 After a week or so, barley-meal and bread-crumbs may be 

 gradually added, till, at the end of three weeks, the egg is as 

 gradually left off altogether. By degrees, also, some hard 

 grain and boiled potato may be given, but avoiding too soft or 

 new grain carefully. " Little and often " applies even more to 

 feeding them than to other chickens. 



There will be little trouble from the tendency to diarrhoea 

 under this regimen ; but far more trouble and care are needed 

 against wet or damp. It must be constantly remembered that 

 anything like a wetting is practically fatal. For the first two 

 or three days they should be kept entirely under cover ; after 

 that the chicks may be let run on the grass, but not till the 

 dew is quite gone, and always keeping the hen cooped under 

 shelter, to ensure constant return to a dry bottom. In cold, 

 windy weather, the coop must be well screened from that, and, 

 if bitterly cold, the chicks kept in. When about three weeks 

 c4d, the hen may have some liberty in fine, dry weather, but 



