FEED AND CARE OF POULTS 553 



and be particularly sparing with the concentrated foods, such as 

 grains in the hulls — millet, kaffir corn and so on. Too much 

 hard-boiled egg or milk curds will congest the bowels. Do not 

 forget to provide succulence; green stuff should constitute at 

 least a half of the fare. Keep an abundance of clean water 

 before the poults at all times, also a plentiful supply of sharp 

 grit. Charcoal should be mixed with the food or fed separately; 

 it aids digestion and guards against fermentation in the crop and 

 gizzard. 



Attention Required. — ^It should also be remembered that turkey 

 hens are not apt to be so attentive to their young as chicken hens, 

 especially'*in the matter of feeding; moreover, the turks are not 

 so apt as chicks in learning how to eat. The chick commences 

 to peck at objects almost as soon as it is hatched, but not so 

 with poults. They seem particularly unintelligent little creatures 

 in this respect, and the idea of looking on the ground or floor 

 for food never seems to occur to them. Indeed, sometimes they 

 run about with their heads in the air crying for food, until they 

 weaken and die from exhaustion. The turkey grower must be 

 on the lookout for this, and if necessary teach the poults by hand 

 feeding. It involves considerable time and trouble, of course, 

 but the advantages gained in giving the little turks a good start 

 will more than compensate for one's pains. 



By all means keep the brood dry — dampness is fatal. Do not 

 allow the hen to take her brood into the tall grass early in the 

 morning when the dew is on it, or trudge about on rainy days. 

 Keep her penned up in an airy, roomy coop until conditions are 

 favorable. It is also imprudent to expose the brood to intense 

 heat, for they will wilt under it as though suffering with sun- 

 stroke. Shade of some kind must be provided in hot weather so 

 that they can escape the direct rays of the sun. 



Moderation in all things is the secret to success. Avoid damp- 

 ness and filth, guard against vermin, do not overfeed and do not 

 overcrowd; these are the essential features. 



