PRACTICAL FEEDING OF POULTRY 



given having more influence than the actual feeds used. 

 One of the most common methods is to use hard-boiled 

 eggs chopped up fine, mixed with bread crumbs and rolled 

 oats for the first week, after which wheat and hulled oats 

 are fed. The turkey poults need some special feed for 

 the first few days regardless of the range. Milk in some 

 form is an excellent feed for turkeys and assists material- 

 ly in keeping the turkey poults well. Stale bread soaked 

 in milk and fed after the milk has been squeezed out 

 makes a good feed for the first few days followed by the 

 wheat and hulled oats or by chick feed. Skim milk or 

 buttermilk kept before the turkey poults all of the time 

 is an excellent feed. Some turkey breeders do not give 

 any soft feed but start the poults right off on finely 

 cracked grains allowing them to get all of the other feed 

 from the range. Johnnycake or corn bread is also used 

 with good results for the first few days. Green feed 

 should ordinarily be secured from the range but if for 

 any reason the poults are confined, green feed should be 

 provided. Chopped onion tops, alfalfa, dandelion leaves 

 and lettuce leaves make excellent green feed. They may 

 be fed to advantage during the first 3 or 4 days of their 

 lives to all of the turkey poults whether yarded or on 

 range. Grit in the form of coarse sand or finely sifted 

 grit should be provided and a little, coarse sand can be 

 sprinkled on the soft feeds which are fed to the baby 

 poults. 



The mother hen if brooding poults should be fed a mix- 

 ture of grain such as equal parts of corn, wheat and oats 



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