290 HOIVIE LIFE IN FLORIDA. 



that the hen returns in good time to her post, place an 

 ample supply of food and water well within her reach from 

 the nest, for she must on no account be disturbed again till 

 all the chicks are out. 



For ten days before the latter are due the eggs should 

 be sprinkled daily ; following these simple precautions, 

 there will seldom fail to be a good hatching. 



The empty shells should be cleared away as fast as the 

 chicks come out, but the latter must never be taken away 

 from the mother, and never be forced to eat, as too many 

 amateur turkey-raisers seem to think must be done, for it 

 is not to be denied that the little turks are very stupid, 

 so stupid as not to know how to eat, or to peck a,t the food 

 offered them. 



A couple of chicken's eggs, put into the nest five or six 

 days after Mrs. Turk begins to set, will solve the difficulty, 

 for the little turks will speedily learn to imitate the peck- 

 ing of the little chicks. 



Most turkey-raisers feed the young ones on oatmeal and 

 bread-crumbs mixed with boiled nettles. This is a fatal 

 mistake, and the second reason for the usual difficulty in 

 rearing them. The little turks are for the first few weeks 

 of their lives predisposed to diarrhea, and this tendency is 

 encouraged by the oatmeal diet, hence disease and frequent 

 deaths. 



For ten days feed nothing but hard-boiled eggs — thor- 

 oughly hard — chopped fine, mixed only with minced dan- 

 delions or nettles, if they can be obtained ; at the end of 

 the ten days add bread-crumbs and barley-meal to the egg, 

 gradually reducing the quantity of the latter until, at the 

 end of three weeks, it may be discontinued altogether and 

 boiled potatoes and small grain be substituted. Curds are 

 also excellent feed, if squeezed very dry, not without ; 

 water, pure, and plenty of it, should be placed within 



