She is a very close setter, and will set for days without getting 

 off her nest, which is the reason so many hens die on the nest, 

 as they weaken from want of food, water and exercise. On 

 going out in the morning to feed my stock, the first thing I 

 do is to gently lift the setting hens from their nests and shut 

 them out of the hatching house until I am through feeding all 

 the other stock. This sometimes takes three-quarters of an 

 hour, gives the eggs a chance to cool, and allows the bird to 

 have fresh water, green grass and exercise, A turkey hen 

 treated in this way generally improves by the rest obtained in 

 the hatching season, and, when she leaves the nest with her 

 brood, her head is red and she is in good condition. I have a 

 nice clean coop all ready for her. 



The first feed given the little poults is hard-boiled eggs 

 chopped up fine, and sting nettle, with a shake of red pepper 

 or ginger. If you cannot get the sting nettle cut up dandelions. 

 I plant a good field of lettuce during the summer, and give 

 them all they can eat three times a day during the hot weather, 

 as there is a considerable quantity of iron in the lettuce, and 

 the little poults thrive on it. 



When they are about two days old I soak bread in milk, 

 squeezing it dry, and add it to the chopped dandelions. As 

 stated previously, if you cannot get turkey feed you will have 

 to grind up wheat, oats and barley, with a shake of lime. 

 Charcoal and baby grit should be kept before the poults all the 

 time, and all the sour milk they can drink should be given 

 them. When they are about three weeks old give them a mash 

 made as follows: for 12 poults take 1 pint of cornmeal and 1 

 quart of mixed feed, and if you have plenty of milk make it 

 with that, but it must be as well cooked as cereal for the table. 

 It is also well to give the little poults broth made from bones. 

 This will help them "shoot the red." They should be yarded 

 up in runs 5 feet each way, and 23 inches high, until they are 

 good and strong. After they are a week or ten days old they 

 may be let run about half a day while the dew is off the grass. 

 When poults "shoot the red" they may be allowed to run all 

 day in good dry weather. As cold and wet weather are con- 

 sidered the chief causes of "blackhead," young turkeys should 

 not be allowed to get wet the first year. 



