Gloucester County Democrat. (Woodbury, N.J.) 1878-1932, 1903-02-05
TURKEY TALK.
How One Woman Raises a Flock of
White Hollands Each Year.

How One Woman Raises Flock of
White Hollands Each Year.
To me there is a fascination in rails
ing turkeys that is not to be found in
raising chicks, although the incubator
and breeders do away with much Of
the former drudgery, says Mrs. S. B.
Titterington Of Rochester, H., in Re-
liable Poultry Journal. 1t is a wonder
to me that White Holland turkeys are
not more generally raised, not only on
account of their beauty. but also be-
cause of their gentleness. They are not
disposed to roam like the larger breeds
and are easily controlled. | have often
had several lay in one nest close to the
house, and when they became broody
| have had no more trouble in remov-
ing them at night to some quiet, undis-
turbed place than with gentle old hens
sitting where domestic fowls would
persist in laying. | could slip my hand
in under these hens and remove the
intruders' eggs without disturbing
them to the point of leaving the nest.
been something of a peculiar one. My
record book shows that the first turkey
eggs were found March %, much ear
lier than is usual in this latitude. The
first poults were hatched April "a, 9th
er matches following in quick success
sion after that date. These early poults
did remarkably well, very few, indeed,
r. nirr1aI ynrs
had raised White Holland turkeys sue
cessfully for a number of years and
telling her of my promising flock, she
remarked in an icy and disappearing
way, 81 don't care to have my young
turkeys Matched before the middle of
May" A chill fell over my enthusiasm,
and / went home wondering if, after
ALL my hopes were destined to blight.
But these extra early poults were the
pride of my flock, ready to show at the
state fair, we'll up toward standard
weight in the month of September.
My luck kept up through April and
May. Then alas the record changed.
Even those Matched in June showed
most discouraging indisposition to live,
while all after that, save one lonely
| little poult, gave up the ghost with a
most painful regularity after living ten
| DAYS or two weeks The weather was
| doubtless responsible for this sad state
of affairs. My turkeys that laid early
were ready to raise second broods in
midsummer. and if the usual dry con-
ditions at that season had prevailed l
| believe they would have done fairly
well, but the frequent and drenching
rains were fatal to their tender infan-
tile constitutions.
think have made an important
discovery in regard to feeding little
| poults. 1t may be familiar to others,
| but it dawned upon me as something
| quite new Grit in abundance is al
| ways recommended, but | have found
| that they do best when it forms fully
! half the ration. Quite a latitude in
feeding is possible when this point is
| guarded. BY fine grit do not mean
sand or even the dust many dealers
sell which sits from the coarse mica
crystal grit. Genuine sharp particles
are needed for the tiny gizzards. small
| enough for them to manage, but not
denuded of the keen edge.
A year ago my flock of little poults
was so large I had to find something
besides eggs, curd and breadcrumbs to
feed them. Following the example of
neighbor who raised turkeys galore, |
| yentured to leave the curd quite moist
| and added fine raw cornmeal to make
| it crumbly. OF course the grit was
never omitted. According to all the
authorities. my little birds should have
promptly turned up their toes as re-
| suit of the raw cornmeal. On the con-
trary. they grew and thrived wonder
fully. This year. having nearly double
the number of poults, | tried the same
| thing again, with the same success. !
believe the grit is saving factor.
| Today as l write the pastures and
orchards are white with big snowy
| turkeys and their companions on the
farm, the beautiful White Rocks. |
| believe the conditions of the measure
| of success l have achieved this year
| have been threefold- first, early hatch
es; second, turkey mothers to rear the
| pouits; third. plenty of grit With a
different season | think | should have
| had double the birds to show for my
work. but am satisfied and feel that
/ there has been something of triumph
over difficulties