Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-05-24

From
The
PouIkrv
Doctor

A semi confinement works all right
during the breeding season. My tur
keys have been yarded during the
breeding season for so many years that
domestication is inherent in the flock
and they drop right into the habit of
going into their two acre breeding yards
as naturally as stock goes into the
pasture In which they have grazed for j
long time. In this way | have very
little trouble getting all of my turkey
eggs. | also use these yards for hatch
ing and starting my young poults off
in. 1t is not a difficult problem to raise
the young turkeys if one knows the art
of feeding and caring for them. con-
trolling their wanderings by seeming to
let them have their own way
| keep them confined in a large airy
coop at night with board pen 10 by 10
feet square In front of the coop, on a
grassy slope.
| keep them in this pen for three to
five days according to the weather. and
then they are allowed their liberty after
the dew is off in the morning, till about
or o'clock in the afternoon when
they are fed and driven back into their
coops. The coops are moved little
each day, so that the poults have clean
roosting ground, as they are by nature
the cleanest fowls known and can not
live In filth. Each morning If we will
notice, the coops have a bad odor, espe-
cially in rainy, bad weather This odor
seems to be poisonous to the young
poults.
I keep them in these coops until they
are large enough to fly up to roost
then use brush or small poles over coops
for them to roost on, until they are
large enough to go to trees.
For the first six weeks or two months
of turkeys life is the most particular
period of it's existence, A great many
people seem to think they must have
something to eat the moment they are
out of the shell, when the fact is they
bring their food along with them in
shape of the yolk of the egg, which is
absorbed into the body just before they
leave the shell, and which is enough to
sustain them for SO to 48 hours The
first thing | give them is water In a
shallow pan with pebbles in 1t to keep
them from getting wet and to make
like" nature effect. At the same time
scatter some kind of fine grit or sand,
as this Is preparatory to the food that
will follow as soon as the yok of the
egg is absorbed in the body
When they do get hungry the least
little bit does them for a while; some
people feed five or six times day, but
feed only three times, just the amount
think they will eat up clean For the
first three days | feed hard boiled eggs,
chopped up fine Cone egg to about rs
poults) mixed with chopped onion tops
or lettuce leaves for green stuff, over
this mixture l sprinkle pulverized black
pepper. as a stimulant while they are so
weak and young.
Jas their appetites demand it, add a
little cottage cheese or stale bread
crumbs. but at all times l want them to
eat up what have before them quickly
and cry for more.
There are more turkeys killed by
over feeding while young, giving too
much artificial food, not giving them
room in their coops, for insects which
is so materially necessary for them to
thrive on.
If over-fed on artificial food they
will take Indigestion causing liver
trouble, and as the liver is the largest
organ in the body, we must give plenty
of green stuff and insects with exercise
to keep the liver in action.
My way Of feeding so much green
food and food that acts directly on the
liver is the reason that / have such
good success.
At ten days or two weeks old I try
to get them on a grain ration mixed
with table scraps, occasionally giving