TURKEYS, DUCKS AND GEESE 



INSECT POWDER FOR POULTS 



I have not said a thing about dusting the Uttle ones for 

 lice. Try to put a little insect powder on their heads, under 

 the bill along the throat, and along the quill feathers of the 

 wings, once a week' at first. Later I do this just whenever I 

 can. During continued rains is your opportunity to fight the 

 Uce and you must do it, too, for at such times the turkeys are 

 deprived Of their main weapon against lice — their daily dust 

 bath. Some use lard, vaseline, etc., but whenever I have tried 

 greasing Uttle turkeys I have always had a funeral, so I stick 

 to the insect powder. 



SIZE DEPENDS ON EXERCISE 



When your turkeys' heads begin to get red you count 

 them raised and begin to spend the money they will bring — 

 in your mind. And I want to help make the pile as large as 

 possible. Let the turkeys range as far as they will, for their 

 size depends so much upon this; and they are as regular as a- 

 clock in returning home for supper at five. They wiE not miss 

 the time fifteen minutes. Possibly this is because their owner 

 is always at the gate and their supper is always ready for them 

 just at this time. 



A BENEFIT TO CROPS 



One can't compute the grasshoppers, chintz bugs and all 

 sorts of insects that a flock of turkeys will turn into cash, besides 

 destroying mice, moles and even snakes. A "doubting Thomas" 

 should follow the flock for an hour and I think his distrust would 

 vanish. A farmer can readily tell which field of clover was 

 hunted over by the turkeys by the scarcity of grasshoppers 

 at cutting time. They will pick a tender leaf of said clover 

 here and there but the fee they levy is very small for the service 

 they render. Then take them in the cornfields — when the corn 

 is too large for the plow. One has no idea of the weed seed 

 they devour. Or turn them out on the field where oats or 

 wheat has been harvested. The grain is always' followed by 

 a crop of fox tail and this weed is a delight to turkeys. They 

 begin at the bottom of the head and with one effort strip nearly 



every seed from the stalk. A flock of turkeys is not a detri- 

 ment to the farm but a benefit if one tfikes time to find out the 

 truth. Ours never molest the grain or the corn in the shock. 

 If they were starved to it, probably they would. But they are 

 fed every morning (when I can hold them long enough) and 

 always at night, so during the day it is insects and weed seeds 

 for which they search. 



When October is with us and frosty nights and cold morn- 

 ings come, the turkeys like to linger round the barn in the 

 sunny places, but for your pocketbook's sake you must not 

 permit it. By nine o'clock take a long stick in each hand and 

 drive them to the fields and pastures. It will be no trouble, 

 as turkeys drive like sheep — at least mine do. I keep them 

 hunting the late grasshoppers and seeds till past ten, then I 

 slip away. Sometimes they do not see me go, and keep on 

 hunting. Sometimes they beat me to the house — but they 

 have had their morning exercise and so have I, and both they 

 and myself are benefitted by these rambles. I drive them to 

 the range every day during October if they do not go by them- 

 selves and my! the pounds of turkey it adds to my flock. 



PURE-BREDS PAY BEST 



It pays to raise pure-breds even for market. When I 

 began years ago with White Hollands and marketed 9 pound 

 pullets and 14 pound cockerels, I thought my turkeys paid 

 pretty well. But now I find the cost but little more in pro- 

 ducing 17 pound pullets and 26 pound cockerels. Then, too, 

 if you carry a good grade of stock you can dispose of every bird 

 raised for considerably above market price by advertising your 

 stock. There are very few "culls" among turkeys. They 

 breed so much truer to type than chickens. 



If one is ailing very much the balance of the flock often 

 kill it. Inhuman? No, sir. Instinct. The fittest should 

 survive. And the largest, strongest, most vigorous male should 

 be allowed to occupy the place he wins by defeating all others 

 — ^the head of the flock. And I cannot help thinking our "Stand- 

 ard Makers" are going against nature when they award "First" 

 to a 26 pound cock over his 35 pound competitor of equal score. 

 Anyhow, friends, you breed big birds and I will guarantee you 

 five chances for sales where the breeder of "Standard weights" 

 has one. 



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