62 



TURKEYS— THEIR CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



you can easily move her by letting her stay on the nest two 

 or three days or until she becomes real broody; then after 

 dark sprinkle her with a good insect powder and gently 

 move her to the new nest previously prepared for her and 

 fasten her in. Then do not let her out for two or three days. 

 Feed, water and watch her to see she goes back on the nest. 

 It is best to keep her shut up for several days for fear she 

 will come off and go to her old nest. After you take her 

 off several times and she goes back willingly you can leave 

 the nest open, providing there is nothing to disturb her. 

 Some hens stay so close to the nest as to scarcely come off 

 at all during the twenty-eight days. Hens that are not in- 

 clined to come off or are shut up should be gently and 

 quietly lifted off every third day and given a goo.d feed of 

 shelled corn and fresh water to 'drink. 



In setting turkeys do not give them too many eggs. If 

 they are of good size fifteen is plenty. At the same time 

 give nine to a domestic hen, and when hatched give all 

 poults to the turkey hen. Turkey eggs usually hatch well 

 an-1 you will probably get twenty poults, which is enough 

 for one turkey. 



Two days before time for them to hatch sprinkle the 

 hen again with insect powder, working it well into her 

 feathers. When she begins to hatch it is best to remove the 

 little poults and all shells. Take the little downy things to 

 the house and wrap them in warm flannel. After dark take 

 them back and quietly slip them under the hen for the night. 

 Should she be restless it would be best to remove most of 

 them the second day. 



When she is ready to leave the nest I move them to 

 what I call the turkey pen, which is made of boards twelve 

 inches or more high. In size eight by twelve to sixteen feet 

 is a good size for one hen. For the pen select a sunny spot 

 with short green grass, and on high ground that naturally 

 drains itself. In one end have a large box or coop made 

 of boards with a door that will fasten up close at the bottom 

 so as not to leave a hole large enough for a little poult to 

 get out, but give plenty of ventilation at top of coop. In the 

 bottom of coop place a little straw, which can be removed 

 when soiled and clean straw put in. 



In making the turkey pen be sure you do not leave a 

 hole at the .bottom large enough for a little turkey to crowd 

 through, for the first few days it seems to be like an incuba- 

 tor chick, does not know enough to stay with its mother, 

 and if they get out of the pen they are liable to wander off 

 and be lost. After I make my pens I take a spade and throw 

 dirt up on the outside at every place where the boards do 

 not fit down close to the ground. 



FEEDING YOUNG TURKEYS. 



Young turkeys need no food at all until the second day, 

 or until they are from twenty-four to thirty-six hours old. 



Then I feed them light bread soaked in sweet milk. Feed 

 five times a day and give them fresh water in a fountain, 

 for little turkeys must not get wet. Should you have no 

 small regular fountains, make one by taking an old tin can. 

 Drive a nail through one side, near the top. (A few trials 

 will teach you exactly where to make the hole.) Fill a can 

 with water and turn it upside down in a saucer. The hen 

 can scarcely drink from the saucer, but I set in an old tin 

 can filled with water for her. 



When the poults are three or four days old, turn tbem 

 out for an hour or two in the afternoon, providing the 

 weather is suitable and the grass dry. Watch them to see 

 that the hen does not rove too far with them. Should she 

 be inclined to lead them off, watch them awhile and 

 then put them back in the pen and allow the hen to go out 

 and in as she pleases. Do .not turn them out when the grass 

 is wet, as long as the footboard will keep the little ones in. 



When they are a week or two old I begin to feed them 

 curd and corn bread softened with sweet milk; and if the 

 weather is fine and they have good range three feeds a day 

 will do them until they are large enough to go off acd stay 

 all day, then a feed early in the morning and one at night 

 to bring them home is all they need. Some let them go 

 without any food, but I think they grow faster and get out 

 of danger sooner to feed them. 



I feed bread and curd most of the time until they are 

 able to eat whole corn, then give part bread. My turkeys 

 are usually spoiled children. When I give them grain they 

 won't eat much of it, but stretch up their necks and tell 

 me they want what's in that pan. 



Never allow your turkeys to roost away from home. If 

 they do not come, go after them, and they will generally 

 soon come of their own accord, and when near home they 

 will raise their little wings and fly to their feeding ground, 

 for they are as glad to get home as children let loose from 

 school and bring with them quite as good appetites. 



After they are a few weeks old do not put them up at 

 night but let them roost out of doors in the open air. Tur- 

 keys do not like to be housed. Just drive them near the 

 house, and every night know exactly where they are roost- 

 ing, So that should a hard rain or storm come up in the 

 night you can .go out and get them in. I have often gone 

 out at such times with a lantern and picked them up. Nor 

 ' did I always get them before the rain was on me. 



Never try to raise turkeys with a domestic hen, and en- 

 deavor to keep them away from all other fowls on the farm. 

 And do not neglect to watch for the lice, for they will soon 

 kill the little poults. Dust often at night with insect powder. 

 Keep crushed oyster shells before them, as well as other 

 Poultry. MRS. S. A. McCLELLAN. 





