Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-09-17
POULTRY
RAISING Turkeys.

to me that our western farmers do
not give enough attention to this
grand variety of fowls. So many
think, suppose, that they are hard to
raise, and that the price which they
bring in the market is not common
surate with the bother and work ne
cessary to raise them. but too many
Of them 90 at II the wrong way. MY
way Of raising turkeys is a follows,
and have always met with good sue
cess:
After q few warm days as spEng
approaches, the turkey hen will begin
to think of nesting, and where early
turks are desired make nests near
some of the outbuildings. in q desir'
able place, with barrels having both
ends out. With both ends out OF the
barrel the hen can go on and leave
her nest without disturbing her eggs
In the least, for IL she should by any
mistake or accident break an egg she
would be very apt to acquire the habit
Of egg-eating, which is very bad In
chicken, but doubly so in turkey hen
After she has laid some twelve OF
fifteen eggs, she will be wanting to Sill
and IL you want large turks AND
heavy weights in the fall regardless
Of the numbers, set her. But II you
wish more eggs and larger number
Of turks, let her choose her own nest;
thrown upon her own resources she
will sometimes wander quite a dis
lance hunting a suitable place to de
post her eggs.
You should keep watch OF her and
daily remove the eggs lest they be
come chilled. Substitute a nest ege
Of some kind, and nearly every time
you get turkey egg place a hens
egg In the nest. After she has laid
a number of eggs and thinks Of set
ting, remove all the nest eggs and
break up her nest. Taken by surprise
she will soon make herself anothel
nest, not far from the former, and
begin laying again. A turkey hen car
be made to lay thirty or forty eggs IL
a season by following up this plan.
allow fifteen eggs, as a general rule
to a turkey hen, although an old ont
could probably cover more than tina
number.
After they have Matched I allow
them free range, but keep them In
field where the grass is short, as The
tall grass on dewy mornings il hart
on the young turks. After they arr
two weeks old I allow them to g
wherever they please. When they ar
able to fly well, drive them home Il
roost. keeping this up until they com'
without 1t.
As turkeys are of a nomadic dis
position, the only true way to rails
them is with the turkey hen. Sh'
will take them out into the meadows
teach them to eat grass and clover
and that natural food of all fowls
grasshoppers, bugs and other insects
and the sooner they are compelled Il
subsist principally ON them the health
Ter they will become, and the bette
1t will be for the farmer, as they de
stroy the insects which some year
play such sad havoc with his crops.
OF this great American breed o
fowls there are many varieties, tn,
Narraganset, slate, white and mann
moth bronze being the most popular
Each of these varieties has its friends
but believe the mammoth bronze I,
be the most desirable, as 1t combines
vigor. size Il having had one ono,
that reached the remarkable weight o
fifty-two pounds, and beauty abov,
all varieties. It is not an nno0mmol
things for bronze male TO tip tn,
scales at forty pounds. Young bird
will weigh, with proper care and feed
ing. males twenty to twenty-fiv,
pounds and females from ten to IF
teen pounds by Thanksgiving. and
taking into consideration care, feed
etc. believe there is nothing tn,
farmer raises that will net him n
much clear money as q flock Of tur
keys.
No domestic fowl Is more easily de
generated by inbreeding than the tur
key. This is great mistake, tot
often made by our farmers and be
cause Of this many meet with failure
and declare that the turkey is hare
fowl to raise They should procure
a male every year not akin to theil
turkeys. These can be bought from
our best breeders at from SO to 81
each. according to quality, size, etc.
which is very reasonable when yor
consider the cost Of advertising. cor
respondence, Grating. etc. believe
that the time Is near at hand wher
poultry Of all kinds will not be con
sidered by our farmers as a secondary
matter, but will receive the care and
attention 1t deserves. B. McAllis
ter. Linn County, Iowa