Poultry Feeding. 



3^9 



once a day, but they must not be allowed water, either to drink 

 or to swim in. A plentiful supply of grit must be given them 

 or they will become ill and so of little or no account. 



Turkeys should, for their last six weeks, be housed in large, 

 light, airy buildings, and only allowed out from 11.30 to 1 p.m. 

 each day. For the last ten days they should not leave their 

 houses at all. 



Their food can be the same as that given to chickens while 

 penned up. 



A useful house for turkeys can be made as follows : — 



Take five strong posts each 3 in. by 2 in., three of which 

 are ft. and two 6\ ft. long. Drive these into the ground 

 so that the three in front stand up 6 ft. from the ground 

 and those at the back 5 ft. (Two of those in front should be 

 only 2 ft. apart, one being for the door to fasten against.) To 

 the tops of these nail strong cross-pieces ; on these lay 

 thatched hurdles and fasten them securely. 



The sides may be made of wire netting of a wide mesh — 

 3 in. will do — but the north and east sides of shed should be 

 covered with straw or sacking, as the turkeys must be kept 

 fairly warm. The perches should be flat, very strong, and not 

 less than 2 ft. apart. 



The door may be of wire netting on a stout frame about 5 ft 

 high by 2 ft. wide, for turkeys will not go into houses having 

 low doors. 



Four turkeys may be kept in a house 6 ft. square. 



All birds should be starved for thirty-six hours before being 

 killed so that the crop and intestines may become empty. 

 Unless this is done the carcases will not keep for any length of 

 time. 



No weight whatever will be lost by this short period of 

 starvation. 



C. E. J. Walkey. 



F F 



