The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1871-04-15
FARM IND OUSEHOLD.
Rearing of Turkeys, Ducks and Geese.

i'll the treatment of young turkeys. Moth
ing, however, should be given to them,
nothing done for them; they should remain
in the nest, under the shelter of their
mothers wings, for at least eight or ten
hours; if Matched in the afternoon, till the
following morning. The hen should then
be placed on the grass, in the sun under n
roomy coop. If the weather is fine, she
may be stationed at any point desired, by
long piece of flannel list tied round one leg,
and fastened to a stump or stone.
At first a few crumbs of bread should be
offered for some hours, the little ones will
be i'll no hurry to eat; but, when they %
commence, they should be supplied con-
stantly and abundantly with chopped
egg, shreds of meat and fat, curd, boiled
rice mixed cress, lettuce, and the green of
onions; melted mutton-suet poured over
barley-meal, and cut up when cold, as also
bullock's liver boiled and minced, are ex-
cellent things. Young turkeys do not like
to have their food minced much smaller
than they can swallow it, preferring to
make a meal at three or four mouthfuls,
rather than to trouble themselves with the
chickens so much delight. Pepper will be
found particularly useful in feeding them;
as, indeed, all stimulating vegetables, such
as horse radish and the like. Young tur-
keys are sometimes attacked by .fasci0l1,
or worms in the trachea; but not SO often
as chickens. Cramp is the most fatal to
them, particularly in bad weather. A few
pieces of board laid under and about the
coop are useful; sometimes rubbing the leg
with spirit will bring back the circulation.
The time when the hen may be allowed full
liberty with her brood depends most upon
the season, the situation, etc. Some think
that if the young are thriving, the sooner
the old ones are out with them the BETTER
after the first ten days or SO. A safer rule
may be fixed at the season called "shooting
the red,' when young turkeys approach
the size of a partridge, or before the granu-
lar, tieshy excrescences on the head and
neck begin to appear; soon after, the whole
plumage, particularly the tail-feathers,
shoot into rapid growth and liberal nour-
ishment is imperatively required. If let
loose at this time, they will obtain much
foraging, and still be thankful for all that
is given to them. Car-away-seeds, as
tonic, are beneficial, if added to plenty of
barley, boiled potatoes, chopped vegetables
and refuse meat. At this time the turkeys,
naturally enough, begin to be troublesome
and voracious; they have to grow from the
size of lark to twelve or fourteen pounds,
in eight or nine months. One great merit
Ill Olu DlIOS Is, IIliI SltudtlOuS WHeTe HulS
acorns, and mast are to be had, they will
lead off their brood to these, and all of
them will abstain comparatively, from raw
aging other crops.
REARING OF DUCKLINGs.-The best mode
of rearing the young of ducks depends
very much upon the situation in which they
are Matched. 1t is customary to dip their
feet in water as soon as Matched, and then
to clip the down on their tails close with a
pair of scissors, to prevent their becoming
drabbled and water-logged; and before their
introduction to the pond, which should not
be until day or two after Matching, it is
thought advisable by many to let them have
private swim or two in small pan of
water, that they may try their strength and
practice their webbed feet before venturing
upon larger scale.
For the first month, the confinement of
the mother under a coop is better than too
much liberty. Their first food may be
boiled eggs, nettles, and a little barley; all
kinds of sapped food, cornmeal and water
mixed thin, worms, etc, suit them; they
will also greedily eat cabbages or otEer
green's, mixed with boiled bran: and this
mess, with the addition of pepper, forms a
valuable dietetic. In few days, they
require NO care, being perfectly abe to
shift for themselves; but at any age they
are the most helpless of the inhabitants of
the poultry yard, having no weapons with
which to defend themselves from vermin,
or animals of prey, and their awkward,
waddling gait precluding their seeking
safety in flight The old duck is not so
brave in defense of her brood as the hen;
but she will, nevertheless, display at times
much spirit. The young seldom die of any
disease and with proper precaution there
will be no trouble i'll raising almost as
many ducklings as are Matched. They
come early to maturity, being nearly full
grown and in fine eating order at three
months old; far excellng, in this respect,
all other poultry, except geese.
None are more successful in rearing |
ducklings than those who keep them, for
the first period of their existence, in pens
two or three yards square, and cram them
night and morning with long, dried pellets
of flour and water or egg and flour, until
they are judged old enough to be turned
out with their mother to forage for them
selves. They are cheerful, harmless, good
natured, clearly creatures, carefully wash
ing themselves, and arranging their dress,
before commencing their meals; and the |
healthy heartiness of their appetite is
amusing, rather than disgusting.
REARING OF GosLINGs.-For the first |
three or four days, goslings must be kept
warm and dry, and fed on barley meal, or
oatmeal, mixed with milk, if easily pro-
durable; if not, with water. They will
begin to grow in about a week. For a
week or two, they should not he turned out |
until late in the morning, and should |
always be taken i'll early in the evening
Their great enemy is the cramp, which
can be kept off by making them sleep on
dry straw. A little boiled rice, daily, assists
their growth; with corn, of course, as soon
as they can eat it. When goslings are first |
allowed to go at large with their mother,
every plant of hemlock which grows
within their lange should be pulled up, as
they are very apt to eat it, and it generally
proves fatal. Nightshade is equally PERM
cious to them; and they have been known
to be poisoned by eating sprigs of yew-
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