The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1872-03-29

I have little paper here on the sub
ject Of turkey raising, about Which T.
have had considerable practical expert
ence. For the last ten years b multi
titude of farmers east of the Hudson,
and not aafew west, have made more
money from their turkeys than from
any other kind of stock. III Ten well
managed turkey hens will give a. larger
net profit thaniten cowsif, in addition
to good management, the farmer has
good luck. The first six weeks in
the life of the young are the most per-.
ilous. After that time they are com
lparatively SAFE Some. mem .outsof a
batch of a hundred never lose one, and.
this is the. way they manage them
Let the mother of the newborn brood.
choose their own time to leave the
nest. Taking off is always bad policy.
As soon as the nest is left, make yard
twelve feet square, by setting boards
sedgewise. Remove the turkey and
her brood into this little pen, wherein
they should be kept for at least six
day. After which they may be let. out
in the middle Of the day, and permitted
the range of on acre; but they must
always be gathered at least an hour
before sun-down into the pens,i to, re-
main until the dew is off the next, morno
ing, and all the day if there is the least
appearance of q storm The time the
mother leaves the nest, wash the naked
part of her body thoroughly, with to-,
bacco juice, to kill the inevitable lice,
and at the same time dust thoroughly
the young with some notwithstanding
powder. No one thing kills so many
young turkeys as these parasites. AS
q preventive, sulphur and snuff
mixed m equal Quantities, and busted
after the turkey has been sitting two
weeks, is recommended; but nothing
should prevent the washing of the
mother Or the busting Of the young
the day the mother leaves the, nest,
and two days after the young have left
the shell. Young turkeys require but
little food, but they need to be fed as
often as once an hour for the firstweek.,
Coarse ground Indian meal mixed with
sour-mlk curds, and fne-chopped
hard boiled eggs is the best feed for
the first month. After that the eggs
may be left out, the meal ground lit
tie coarser, and the curds, if you have
them, used in larger measure than
at the first. > As soon as they can swal-'
low whole grain give them that, and
then all trouble III this direction is at
an end. Until they are two months
old they must be driven to some shell
ter every night, and never be allowed
to remain in Tie feds through a long
or heavy rain. Even when one-quarter
grown, they will die from exhaustion,
trying to follow the vigorous and un-;
reasonable mothers, If, wet with but a
heavy dew. Three rules then must be
observed, if those who attempt to raise
turkeys would secure isuccess-First,
be sure to free both old and young
from lice Immediately upon the old
ones leaving the nest. Second, feed
frequently at the beginning with
Strengthening food. Third, never let
the young turkeys get wet, either from
pew or rain, until their feathers afford
their bodies, if not complete, at least
partial protection. p ~ as -
1 think one reason why breeders
have SO much trouble is, that they
oEarfeed- their sfoWlss,-=OAzthe Plains
wild turkeys and prairie chickens are
most prolific, and they are ottroubled
with diseases.--Esrcbdnge. IN