The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1889-12-20
The Rearing of Turkeys.

wide range, and insects upon which to
feed, they do not thrive we'll IN con-
fnement. and are hence beyond the
scope Of the town residents ambition.
In recent article we took occasion to
refer to the origin and varieties of the
domestic turkey. Hence in this we
shall refer more particularly to their
breeding and management.
The female commences laying about
the middle of March. Previous to
doing so she emits peculiar, wistful
cry, going around prying into out'of-the-
way places, and evincing special de-
sire to conceal her movements from the
male bird, who, if he finds her on the
nest, will ill-treat Ler, drive her away
and break the eggs. She prefers to
choose her own nest, which will pro-
badly be on the ground in tall weeds
or grass, or in an inviting fence. corner.
BY carefully watching the nest can be
located. If possible, it is better to pre-.
pare her nest for her, Of dry leaves,
straw and earth, either in a roomy
manger in the COW stable, or in one Of
the many hooks she seems to frequent
! More readily to attract her attention,
nest egg may be placed in the selected
spot, which will in all likelihood induce
her to take up the performance of her
incubative duties at that point. The
eggs should be taken from the nest
when the hen turkey is out of sight,
leaving the nest-egg as decoy. They
should be placed on end in flannel,
wool, sawdust or meal, and at all times
be carefully handled until needed.
They are of dull cream color, speckled
with reddish dots. Young turkeys
will lay more eggs than older ones, but
not of as large size; neither are the
young birds SO strong and healthy as
those Matched from eggs laid by two
and three years-old hens. For the
same reason, eggs from late Matched
birds of the preceding year will not
produce as fine birds as eggs from
stock raised earlier in the year. If
obliged to breed from young hens, let
the gobbler be two or three years old,
or even older, and not related to the
hens.
1t is customary to set the first
clutches of eggs LAID by the hen turkey
under common hens. If the hen turkey
is broody, shut her up in a coop for
three or four days, after which she will
mate again and resume laying. When
she becomes broody the second time,
she should he allowed to hatch and
rear the young herself AS the COM
mon hen will wean her brood more
quickly than the hen turkey, the first
brood will then join that of the turkey,
and the combined force, under skilful
general, will traverse the woods and
fields together. In setting the common
hen, it should be born in mind that
she will hatch larger proportion from
six than from nine, and she will be the
better able to cover them as they grow
older. Precautions must also be taken
against lice, by carefully sprinkling
the hen and eggs with insect powder
when setting her. This parasite is
especially dangerous to young turkeys,
and is the cause of many presumably
mysterious deaths among them. SPECIAL
provision must also be made against
rats, by the use of wire netting around
the coops at night, as this rodent is
especially fond of anticipating some
ones Christmas dinner, readily passing
by young chickens to get taste OF
turkey,
If it is desired that both clutches of
eggs should hatch out at the same time,
let all be kept until the turkey is
broody the second time, then give her
what she can nicely cover-say from
twelve to sixteen eggs-and divide the
rest among common hens. Ia this case
all the young turkeys can be brought
up by their real mother. The period
of incubation for turkey eggs is twenty.
eight days, although they are almost
always Matched on the twenty seventh
day. If the season has been a dry one.
it is desirable to sprinkle the eggs with
luke warm water once or twice during
the third and fourth weeks to insure
the breaking of the shell by the young
turkey within. This should be done
with as little disturbance of the sitter
and her eggs as possible Country
Gentleman.
Progress of the Grange.
Ill., - Il J , !