St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1891-05-21
WHAT LITTLE TURKEYS WANT.

one that is wise and experienced,
fully informed as to the best method
of bringing up a family. He does
not want to intrust his precious life
to giddy young thing scarce a year
older than himself, that will be rest
less and nervous, ignorant how to
carefor him properly during the day,
or how to keep him snug and warm
at night But before he is put out in
the coop with even the sedatest of
mothers, he prefers to cuddle down
in a warm, fannel-lined basket for
two or three days, until he gets over
being so fat and clumsy, and has
taught his legs to support him prop
erly without being SO uncertain and
trembly This will go long way,
he says, toward giving him a good
start in life, toward helping him to
keep from under his mothers feet,
for with the best intentions in the
world not to hurt any of her children,
she sometimes plants a foot weigh
ing twenty pounds directly upon his
delicate little frame. Learning to
eat properly can also be more easily
acquired in the basket, or during an
occasional airing in the sunshine, for
at first he likes to look at a crumb
fully five minutes by the clock before
aiming peck at it, and he knows if
it were out in the coop that his
mother would gobble up the contem-
plated morsel half a dozen times
while he was thinking about it.
His food he prefers prepared after
the same old receipt which the Far
mer's Daughter has found so excel
lent, and which she has SO frequently
given, viz: Into a shallow pan
placed over the fire pour one pint of
fresh sweet milk, and into this put
two eggs we'll beaten, stirring the
mix ture until it boils and assumes
the consistency of jelly" Half this
quantity may be prepared if the
brood is small, for it should be made
fresh every day.
At first the little turkey says he
wants to be fed upon this custard
five times a day, with sweet milk
offered once, but he warns you that
if the pan is left in the coop he will
paddle around it until he gets thor
oughly wet, and the next thing you
know he will be dead. Some per-
sons, he has heard, are in the habit
of ramming a whole grain of pepper
down each little turkeys throat as
soon as it is Matched, but this he con-
siders a most inhuman practice,
though he does think it a good idea
to season his food now and then
with pinch of black pepper at first,
and red later on, both of which are
wholesome stimulants and especially
beneficial in cool, damp weather.
When about four days old, he feels
a desire to see something Of the
world, and requests a short walk
out of doors in the middle of a sun
shiny day, but he wants his mother
to go along with him, else he fears
that an old rooster, peafowl, or
even the old gobbler might demolish
him entirely. The length of time for
his airing may be increased as he
grows older and stronger, until,
when two weeks old, he thinks
he may remain out all day after
the dew has disappeared, with
out detriment to his health, but will
insist upon being housed Immediate
ly upon the approach of shower.
At this age he requires only three
meals day, and says that as his
digestion has grown stronger he
Graves something ore solid, and re-
quests that his custard be thickened
with eggbread. At one month old,
be substituted for custard, and but
ter-milk or clabber for sweet milk.
But what is especially necessary to
his good health and rapid develop
ment is an abundant supply of grass
hoppers, bugs, and other insects.
He assures you that if you will per-
nit his mother to extend his range
farther and farther as the summer
advances, that he will keep so healthy
and grow so fast that you can all
most see difference from one day to
the next in his size and general APP
pearance But he says if you please,
do not let his mother keep him out
all night that his delicate little meat
is so tender and sweet it is coveted
by all sorts of depredators, both
four-legged and two-legged.
After six weeks of age he thinks he
will not trouble you to make egg
bread for him any longer. but will try
~ put u u lHStCdo Will Liz HISSSt VI
the table scraps softened with sweet
milk; but he warns you once for all,
that if you set any unwholesome,
sour messes before him, death will be
the consequence After this time he
would like half of his daily rations to
consist of dry grain, as wheat, oats,
or buckwheat, but he says you must
not get disguised if he and his little
companions are afraid of it at first
and gather around it in a circle with
outstretched necks, saying, put,
put" as though it were snake; for
after having seen it few times, and
noticed how the mother and every
stray chicken that comes along COB
bles it up, they will straightway be-
come very fond of it. Great minds
develop but slowly, and you cannot |