TURKEYS 273 



to become rather dry. It is then allowed to become 

 stale before being crumbled for feeding. This prac- 

 tice eliminates the danger of swelling after being 

 eaten. The swelling takes place in the oven. 



Gradually after the first week small seeds, such 

 as millet, cracked wheat and corn may be added to 

 the daily ration according as the poults grow in 

 size. A good mixture of grains for fattening con- 

 sists of one bushel each of whole and cracked corn 

 and one-half bushel each of kafir corn and oats. 

 While this is being fed the fowls should be some- 

 what confined. Feeding of the fattening ration 

 begins about the first of November. Some raisers 

 prefer to feed whole corn exclusively three times a 

 day and some object to confining the birds at ail. 

 iWhen fed liberally on corn they do not forage as 

 much as usual. 



PROFITS IN TURKEY RAISING 



The profits in turkey raising for the market 

 range, as a rule, between 75 cents and $1 a head. 

 The opportunities for the sale of breeding stock 

 are much less than with chickens, so there is not 

 much money to be made in this direction, though 

 it is a decided advantage to keep good stock. From 

 about the last week in November until New Year's 

 is the best season for marketing turkeys. Rarely 

 are turkeys kept over this period unless they hap- 

 pen to be late-hatched ones. These may be de- 

 veloped for the January, February or even March 

 markets. During these months such fowls will 

 command good prices, but, as a rule, it will 

 not pay to keep turkeys this late if they are ready 

 for the holiday market. The advance in price would 

 be more than offset by the cost of feed. 



