The Red Cloud chief., 1881-06-23
Managing Turkeys.

There is small benefit derived from
keeping either too large = number or
too great q variety of fowls on a limit
ed space. As spring approaches. the
turkeys, ducks and geese, begin to feel
and manifest in divers Ways the inspira-
ton of the season. This is the period
when they require attention. food and
care. Turkeys should be kept quiet
and tame. and the disposition To ram
bic governed rs much rs possible with
out rcsorting To force or confinement.
Turkeys should never he confined UNI
less it be for n few weeks when very
young. This disposition to ramble,
which comes on about the laying peri
od, may be greatly controlled by man
agcment and gentlcncss. They are not
apt To like the society of other fowls,
but keep largely to themselves. They
should be given n run where the other
fowls are excluded, particularly the
water fowls. Turkeys like high ground
and dry soil, secluded and quiet hooks
attract their attention. and they are X
cccdingly sly at nesting time. Some
hens are SD particular that if the nest is
disturbed or the eggs taken out. even if
replaced by others. they forsake it en-
tirely. The better WAY is To allow the
eggs to remain, if there is NJ danger Of
frost or prOwling vcrmin. The mother
will manage the eggs better. and a
larger percentage of them will hatch.
When this is not safe the eggs should
be stolen away each day as laid. and in
feriOr or hens eggs substituted as each
n is taken, keeping the number good.
In this name the hen. is more likely
TO sit.
Some young birds will not sit the
first season. but keep up continuous
laying, which is not profitable. There
is no mother for Young turkeys like the
natural one. Instincts leads them into
their natural belongings, andto seek the
food most beneficial. Often one hen
will rear two brOOds in n season, not
weaving the older one until the others
are out of the shell. A great mistake
that is frequently made with turkeys Is
in keeping too many hens. Two are
sufficient for all ordinary purposes. and
three at the outside. Where there are
too many they are apt TO disagree. and
wander off i'm different directions. Thus
thew form a habit of wandering. which
is quite natural. 1t is AN ancient belief
that turkeys urn their eggs daily. They
DO move the eggs about with the
feet and beak, but whether it be in
territorial or not is not known. The
germ in the egg is always upper
most, and in incubation receives the
first warmth recognized fac. that
the heat must come from above
although with the constant brooding
the nest is thoroughly warmed and re-
tains it until the young leave it, Tur-
KEYS should nest on the ground, and
indeed any fowl does better to sit on
the ground when the weather will adj
nit. The moisture is highly beneficial
10 the eggs while undergoing the pro-
cess of incubation, keeping the shells
young find no difficulty in escaping.
A turkey usually sits twenty-six days
in medium weather. and is n steady in
cubator. bringing out all the eggs ut
once. The hen should remain on the
nest without disturbance for the first
twenty-four hours. IL a good mother,
she will take care of the empty shells,
usually tucking them around under the
tail. When necessity demands she
will lead the brood quietly from the
nest, and If the weather be warm and
without storms. succeeds well in rearing
the brood under her own management
Turkeys should not come of until the
first week in June. By that time cold
storms are over and the air is mild
Cor. Country Gentleman.