PRACTICAL FEEDING OF POULTRY 



of their feed. If turkeys are fed freely and kept closely 

 confined they do not as a rule make good breeders. 

 Where free range is available on which there is consider- 

 able natural feed, one feed of grain daily, either oats or 

 wheat, and only a little corn is all that the birds require. 

 This feed should be given in the evening in order to bring 

 the birds back around the farm house every night. If 

 not fed any grain the turkeys are apt to wander a long 

 ways away from the house and may wander off and not 

 return at all. The turkeys will pick up grass, nuts, seeds 

 and other things of this kind from the range during the 

 spring and summer. 



In the North the turkeys should be fed more feed dur- 

 ing the winter months and are usually fed twice a day on 

 grain using a mixture of oats, wheat and com with not 

 over one-third corn and in addition are given plenty of 

 green feed or roughage such as sprouted oats, cabbages, 

 mangel beets or some vegetables. A small amount of 

 animal feed can be added to the turkey's ration in the 

 winter months when they are not able to get any insects 

 from the range. This may be added by feeding milk in 

 some form or scraps of fresh meat if any are available. 

 A limited amount of commercial meat scrap can be used 

 if none of the other animal feeds are available. A con- 

 stant supply of grit, oyster shells and charcoal should be 

 kept where the turkeys can get at it all of the time. The 

 essential thing is to keep the turkeys in good breeding 

 condition but not to let them get fat. 



203 



