The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1902-11-28
Facts About Turkeys.

There is O great diversity OF opin-
ion as to whether the rearing of tur-
keys is profitable In America. Not
infrequentIy the mortality of turkey
chicksis is tremendous. and quito
sufficient to eat up any possible profits.
But there are persons who for years
have raised almost every chick. and
under these circumstances rearing tur-
keys yields a very fair return.
1t is a mistaken idea to suppose thet
turkeys do not thrive In confinement.
Some of the best fanciers of these
birds in the country practice yardfng
successfully. or course. the space IN
which the turkeys are enclosed should
not be too small. not less than from
one to three acres for moderate sized
flock. One advantage of yarding 10
that it enables the breeder to get all
the eggs laid by the hens. Another IL
that 1t facilitates the protection OF the
chicks against the attacks Of hawks
and depredatory animals. 1t Is COM
monty supposed that because a tur-
key will fly UP tree to roost, It
would fly over the moon IL 1t saw
'grasshopper on the other side. A
turkey will fly over anything on which
1t can alight, but it will not attempt
to fly over wire-netting fence. as 1t
cannot see anything to rest its feet
upon. AS an Illinois lady pointed out
In leading poultry journal not long
ago, turkeys will travel along a WOW
On picket fence half day at a time to
find q place to get out. Turkeys may,
be prevented from flying ever a fence
| by attaching light board or shingle.
ten inches long by five inches wide.
to their backs by means of soft, fiat
strings run through holes in the
boards and tied under the wings. Bv
this method the birds can be as easily
confined as sheep or other small stock
without injury. When not allowed to
run at large turkeys need something
In the nature Of gravel as grinding
material.
Turkeys can be fattened In a week
or ten days. In this country they are
usually fed all the corn they can eat
three times week to bring this about.
But In England the birds are princi-
pally fed upon mixtures OF equal parts
of barley meal and wheat made
into crumbly mass, either with skim
] milk or water. The use of skim milk
for this purpose has been largely on
the increase OF late years. as 1t has
been found that its employment leads
to- the production of beautifully
| white and fine quality of flesh.
Considering the little labor required
in raising turkeys. they pay very well.
despite the large mortality among the
young birds, and it is surprising they
are not more extensively bred. With
4 the continual increase In our popula-
tion and decrease in the acreage avail
able for grazing, 1t Is foregone con-
clusion that there will be a corre-
spending increase in the demand for
turkeys and other fowls. The breeder
of these birds will therefore never lack
q market.
The selection of breed depends
largely upon the demands of the mar
ket. OF course. when one Is not COM
PEELED to regard turkey rearing from
a commercial standpoint fancy may be
given q free rein. Some turkeys are
as ornamental on lawn as peafOwIs.
have in mind a Maryland green's
ward sloping down to tidal creek
that served as background for q
flock of pure white turkeys Nothing
could have been more beautiful than
the effect produced. d.-Country Life In
America.