The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1907-07-26
SUCCESS WITH TURKEYS.
(By Mrs. Emma Roberts, Easton, Mo-,
in The Poultry Journal.)

(By Mrs. Emma Roberts, Easton, MO-,
in The Poultry Journal.)
These are busy days at Walnut
Glen. Turkeys seem to regain their
wild habits. Like the American Ind
ian they cannot be civilized although
they have all the opportunities Of the
white man. They are still Indian;
and so with the turkeys. We may
build nice nests and do everything to
make them content; they are in the
height of their happiness only when
they think they have eluded You and
stolen their nests, and when they
have been TUNED too widely from
that environment they seem to be
more prone to disease. | never did
succeed In raising many turkeys
with chicken hens. / kept them until
fall. almost ready for market, then
suddenly lost them with liver trouble.
/ believe, as they were fed too heav-
lily and did not take enough exercise.
A great many in this locality lost
most of their turkeys about Septem-
Der and October, the last season, and
/ believe feeding new corn was the
cause of their loss. People are in sucn
haste to get their turkeys ready for
the early market, they begin feeding
heavily on new corn. Consequently
the turkeys do not range off enough
to take the needed exercise, and SO
are an easily prey to disease.
When we consider the universally
good prices at which turkeys sell, It
is surprising that more farmers do
not try to raise them. II a farmer
gets six cents per pound for his hogs
he is well pleased, and does not
count the cost OF team and man for
three months work, besides the la
Dor OF carrying the corn to them three
times per day, and the hogs must
have pasture, and tight fence TO-
keep them where wanted. The tur-I
keys will hunt their living and not
injure any grain in the field. Their
rowing is mainly for grasshoppers and
insects. The first time the little
turkeys are turned out they will
show this natural appetite, for the
least little green worm never escapes
their sharp eyes.
Many do not keep turkeys because
of their inclination to wander away
from home. This is a matter that Is
not wholly without control of turkey
growers. II they are fed properly
and at regular intervals about the
barn or premises, they will not be
so likely to wander away except at
nesting time, and when insect life is
most abundant. / always go after
my early turkeys myself, as 1t would
be impossible for anyone not as'
quainted with that peculiar call al
turkey hen makes to her young when
once she has uUNSISu IhOhA - $50
night for anyone else to find them
after four o'clock, but 1t is very easy
when you have learned 1t. ! cannot
describe It for / would not know how i
to spell the word. However, j never !
heard turkeys make that noise except
when lowering their young. teach
my young turkeys to roost just as
soon as their backs are feathered |.
sufficiently to turn the rain. We have
a long hog shed that Is three feet
high at the lower side and there are
large trees with low limbs standing
near. and poles laid from the shed
to the trees make an ideal roosting
place. / drive the hens to the shed
and lift up the little ones until they
earn to fly, which is very soon, gen.
orally about six weeks. They seem
% enjoy the branches Of tree. For
his reason Il is a matter OF economy
o compel turkeys to live as near TO
he same requirements as the irigl'
,al wild turkey. for best results. give
heir their liberty as soon as they
ire able to follow the hen. Go after
hem IN time to find them before four |
o'clock. II only takes one time TO 80,