Morgan County republican. (Versailles, Mo.) 1906-1914, 1907-06-27
Farm Turkey-Raising.

Turkeys need little attention II kept
away from fowls and ducks. Turkey
farming pays best by itself. They lay
their eggs in a secluded spot; a cement
barrel laid on its side with a brick each
side to prevent rolling, and a branch Of a
tree partially covering its entrane, is all
they want to encourage them. 1t is best
to permit the Eggs to remain in h nest.
The hen IL usually very cautious OF
entering and leaving her nest, and sell
dom breaks an egg, unless she has not
had sufficient shellformers in her diet.
See that she gets burnt homes and
charcoal and plenty Of dry oyster shells.
NRsrs AND BREEDING.
Always provide the hen with an invit-
ing spot of plenty Of green grass for the
nest; a too dry nest often causes trouble
from lack of moisture. Give the hen an
opportunity to dust herself in a damp
spot; she will get it if possible, and there
will be little fear Of dead chickens in the
shall unless breeding FROM immature
birds is practised. A gobblcr OF IL
months is not the best. He should he at
least 2 years old; likewise the hens.
Above all, introduce fresh blood every
second year; this is of great importance
in raising turkeys for profit. Again, a
vigorous gobbler will fertilize all the
eggs OF a dozen hens in less than four
weeks; that is to say, suppose a turkey
hen, after she has had the companion
ship Of her mate for say a month, lays
seventeen eggs at a stretch. the whole
batch laid prior to her brooding will he
fortified. In short, you need only
borrow a good gobbler for n month in
the season. provided you are not hatch.
ing late chicks. See that his toes are not
like a razor. otherwise serious results will
follow. l have this season stitched three
beautiful bronze hens, the backs Of
which had been laid bare.
HOUSING.
OF one thing there can be no doubt,
turkeys do best in fresh air. and will not
stand coddling; they should he housed In
large. airy sheds. open completely on the
eastern side. with perches fairly wide
three to four inches). The straighter
the breast bone the better satisfied will
the consuming public be, and narrow
perches mean crooked breast bones. Do
not place the perches too high. especial
ly where the ground is hard or stony, al
the turkeys are, like fowls, subject to
humble feet, which often spoil hens fOr
a whole season. I am quite convinced
that turkeys must be encouraged to &C.
custom themselves to shed roosts; they
prefer the limb of a tree, but that shout d
not he. A little coaxing for a week.
kindly bucket Of oats by way Of en-
enlargement, will do much to form the
habit Of coming home each night at dusk
instead Of their straying away. or being
found in the field in the morning with
their heads off the work OF foxes
which are very troublesome in most
districts.
PENDING.
The adult birds usually find much ol
tl,sx wi food. yet 1t 10 an absolute
necessity to feed the flock when natural
food, are MT available. When insect
life is scarce. grass Is Of poor quality,
and is also usually wet; the consequence
1 a. NttAu ca,. ..l xGN.s ak. fr1,s, Ala
effects. Corn. meal and bran Zone par
each), with a fair mount Of chopped M
boiled meal, and when available a few
ad'ces Of raw onions, all mixed with thu
soup in which the meat or other ANNA
food has been boiled, should he used
Mix AZ dry as possible; turkeys do no
thrive on Stops. curded milk IL mucl
rel,siied, and lisa splendid flesh former
anita whiunes Of flesh: nothing il nor
Objectionable than a fat brest. To,
mich, com feeding. or a constant suppl.
of wlnsa, will not improve the color o
tie Hes,, Oats are by far the best o
grai"s " ass's, in keeping down fat.
Always provide Gesl,, clean waite
: daily, and keep ire vessels out u lily
sun, Neglect IN this regard, will caus
losses and disease, ADD charcoal in cas-
oil bowel disorders, u Is an ab.olut'
Necessity IN successful tnrkey.raising.
I" They mAst, haYs ~, unliWited anapnr