The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1880-06-12


The following turkey TALK, by
Fanny Field contains all the ADVICE
necessary for an amateur turkey rails
er: "There is no doubt but that the
chief cause of the mortality among
young turkeys is their exposure towel
before they are fully teathered. Inc
ordinary turkey raiser trusts good
deal to the instinct OF the mother Iur-
key, and the mother turkey II leit 10
herself, squats down, just where nlght
happens to overtake her; gets up early,
in the morning and wanders around
in the wet grass in search of food, ana
rs Il natural consequence, more than
half of her brood die OF chills ana
cramps before they are month oid,
and more than likely the other mar IS
gobbled up by some four-1ooted prowl-
er. Dew is about as fatal poison TO
young turkeys before they are fully
feathered, and if you expect to raise
your turkeys and make the rearing OF
them profitable you must keep them
out of the grass when 1T is wet with
dew until they are about two months
old. | have a large, Well-llghteu,
gravcl-tloored shed, where ! can con-
fine my young turkeys in the morn
ing, until the sun has dried the dew
off the grass, and on rainy days they
are kept in the shed all day. The
mother hens are confined IN STAT coops
placed along the rear OF tne shed'
Where one raises turkeys III large
numbers | think some such arrange
ment would pay, but the ordinary
farmer, who only raises rev
dozen for market each year, would not
care to go to the expense or puttlng
up such a building, and for their BEN
eft | will decrlbe pen that | have
found very useful: For family OF Il
dozen or so of young turkeys we make
a square pen by placing boards SIN
teen inches wide and six ieet long on
edge and fastening them IN Posltieo oi
At one side is a large sIant-rooied,
tight coop, the 'front.' OF wnlcn opens
into the pen: There Is no n3or III Illls
coop, but as it is perfectly tlgnt, except
the anger holes tof Ventilation, anu
we always set II IN a airy spot where
the rain cannot WASH uhuer IL, anu
move coop ana pen ol'en, VIC n;f "re
turkeys are always ory anu colhiol.a '-
VIC. I'"V "ASAS - oI:,J.. 10 ,,,o,i
and the rain would be likely 70 WASH Il
under the coop there snouiH , 4e d
board floor covered with graVei, wnlc1 1
should be cleared out anu lenew 1t
often. For few days a1ter tne poulIs
are Matched, whether you raise tnelli
with hen mother or a turkey mo.nef,
they must be conilned 10 lhls coop AM,
pen. Then if all appear st[Chs anu
well and the weather favorable! open
the pen and give tne young 1 r ia6e ny
after the sun has completely arled Ille
dew off the grass. Shoulu suuueil l
shower come up Whlle your youlS
turkeys are out in the helos you mus mus
turn out and drive them TO me COOP tc
If any are chilled take theln W
the house, dry ana warm lnei1l
thoroughly, give them Il goou leeu
with plenty of ginger OF REQ
pepper in it and then return TO the
mother hen. See that your turkeys
come home every night, At hrst, II
you raise them with turkey mother,
you will have to hunt them up ana
drive them home, put II you leeu regl,
larly every morning and always d,
night they will soon learn 10 come
home as regularly as the COWS. Altel
they are iully leaVneleo, ano i''