The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1870-04-30
Hints OH Turkey Raising.

Hints Oh Turkey Raising.
The southern part of New London coun-
ty. Conn, is famous for its turkeys. and
the manner of raising them is thus describ-
ed by ga Native: "Ten or twelve hens
with gobler is good stock, and if there
be kept with but very little more trouble
than trio. Birds from to years old
will bring much stronger chicks than year.
lingS and give much better results. But if.
let them lie from the early broods. I'll e
late broods should all be sent to market
1t is a great point to make the hens all lay
near home, and for this purpose it will pay
to yard them for few days when they
commence laying. They are thus much
more easily protected from foxes, skunks
and vermin, and are much more likely to
keep together in one flock. When the
young ones are large enough to go to the
fields, make houses or shelters for them to
lay in, and if possible, have them several
rods apart, so that at Matching time the
turkeys will not be able to hear the peeping
Of their neighbours chicks. This will some
times make sitting turkey SO uneasy that
she will abandon her own eggs. If nests
are made near one another the hens should
be set at the srme time, so as to come off
together This is also desirable in case of
failure of part of the eggs to hatch
Two broods may be given to one mother to
the number of Is OF 90 and the other hen
will very soon begin to lay again. The
eggs should be carried in at night, if frost
is threatened, and be returned to the nest
again in the morning. The heat that they
receive from the birds while laying, and
the turning that they get is said to have Il
favorable Influence upon them and to make
them hatch better. There is difference of
a day Or two in the Matching of fresh and
old egg, although they be of the same
clutch. The old bird is inclined to accom-
modate her movements to the strongest
Of her family, and the weakest are frequent
ly left behind and lost. When they come
of, confine from one to three broods in 4
pen from 10 to l. feet square, made by set
ting up wide boalds cdgewise. so that the
young ones cannot jump out. The old
ones will not wander far from the pen, and
in about week the chicks will be able to
clear the boards. when they may be safely
left to go with the hens In storms they
should be sheltered. Give little food at
first. Indian meal is too fine and frequently
kills them. Get corn cracked at the mill
on purpose, and increase its size as the
chicks grow. Wheat buckwheat and oats
ale good for them when few weeks eld.-
Feed, also, at first with some kind of flesh
animal food. Chopped liver and beef, boil
ed eggs and curdled milk are good The
success of the turkey crop depends mainly
upon the first month. They should be
brought home TO the poultry yard every
night. For the first three weeks a boy or
girl should be employed to watch them,
keep away hawks and other enemies, and
see to the stragglers. Not few chicks
are lost i'll the grass and perish because
they lose the sound of the mothers voice.
One child can watch the broeds of dozen
hens, and keep them in the same range and
save great deal of trouble later i'll the season.
For, if they begin to feed together they
will naturally take the same course every
morning, and all the turkeys will be found
near together when they are sought at
night, if they should fail to come of their
,wn accord. If fed every night they will
rarely fail to make their appearance when
the cows come for milking. 4 pasture is
the best range for them when they are
young"
NoTEs.-Thcre are some things about
turkey raising, which it is worth while for
a novice 10 know, not told by our cores
pendent. Turkeys if well trained become
very domestic, and may easily be made to
lay. in good-sized boxes placed in sheds or
'ut-buildings, ont of the reach of dogs and
vermin. The eggs may be removed daily
md this is best if carefully handled, because
a turkey is often half day upon her nest
long before she becomes broody. If early
proodS are desired, leave a nest full of eggs
wooden ones and the hen will soon stop
laying and sit. Very tame turkeys are
pften such persistent sitters that they must
be taken off at least every alternate day to
,eed. Turkey hens are very careful moth
trs: they rarely or never tread upon chick
md when the chicks are very young their
extreme care is almost distressing. They
nay. therefore, be cooped; and this is best
with all early broods, for otherwise the
Young suffer for lack Of brooding. When
turkey hens are cooped with their broeds
The greatest care is necessary to prevent
the coops becoming foul. 1t is well to shift
them daily, or to use an abundance of dry
earth scattered several times a day over
the floor Of the coop. We prefer to feed
all young birds animal food hard boiled
egg with curds, mashed together and min
gled with bread soaked in milk, is our ia
'orite diet for young turkeys, and they
thrive upon ii. Cracked wheat and corn
follow, and with other grains these soon
become the staple food.
american Agicuturist.