The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1916-04-15
MONEY IN TURKEYS

For those who are favorably situat-
ed for raising turkeys, more profit
able side line can hardly be found.
Given plenty of range where the tur-
keys can find grasshoppers and other
insects. green vegetation, the seeds of
weeds and grasses, waste grain,
acorns, and nuts of various kinds. the
cost of raising them is cry small and
the profits large. Grain and stock
farms are particularly well adopted
to turkey raising, and it is on such
farms that most of the turkeys are
found. Little has ever been done in
the way of raising turkeys in confine-
ment. and where it has been tried the
results have been discouraging. Plenty
of range is essential to success in tur-
key raising.
Breeding.
In selecting turkeys for breeding,
the most important factors to be con-
sidered are Vigor. size, shape, bone,
early maturity, and color of plumage.
The body should be deep and wide, the
back broad, and the breast round and
full. The head should be of good size
and of a clean, healthy appearance. A
strong, well-made skeleton is shown
by thick, sturdy shanks and straight,
strong toes. 1t should be are aim of
every turkey raiser to have a flock OF
pure-bred turkeys, even though they
are sold at market prices. The male
at the head of the flock should by all
means be a pure-bred of the best type
ohtainable. The male is one-half the
entire flock, and by continually select
ing the best females of a similar type
an, mating these with a pure-bred,
male, one can soon have a flock of
uniformly large. ymaturing
rong-boney, long and deep bodied
turkeys of the same color
Fifteen turkey hens can safely be
mated to a vigorous tom. If % or 30
hens are kept, two toms should not be
allowed to run with them at the same
time. bat upe should be confined one
day, ard the other the next. When
two toms are allowed to run together
during the mating season they tight
badly and the stronger does practi-
ca!ly all Of the mating.
Laying.
Turkey hens are wont to steal
their nests IN hidden places, such as
patch of weeds, tall grass, or thick
brush, and often wander a half mile
OF more from home before they find
locations that suit them. To find these
stolen nests often proves to be d long
and tedious task, the usual method
being to follow each turkey hen as she
separates from the flock and starts
toward her nest, care being taken that
she does not know she is being fol-
lowed. A much easier and quicker
method than this is to contine the hens
early some morning soon after they
have come down from rOost and let
them out late in the afternoon. These
that are laying will then head for their
nests in order to lay the eggs they
have been holding.
If many turkeys are kept, the use of
breeding pen will be found a great
convenience. This pen should cover
sufficient area to allow the turkeys
some exercise, an acre for - birds
being none too large. A hog tight
wire fence 3 feet high will hold most
turkeys, and if any persist in flying
out. the flight feathers of one wing
should be clipped. Nests should be
scattered about the pen, those which
turkey hens take to most readily be-
ing barrels turned on their sides and
nests shaped in them with straw.
Incubation.
Turkey hens, chicken hens, and in
cubators are commonly used to incu-
bate turkey eggs. During the early
part Of the laying season it often hap
pens that one has on hand a number of
eggs that should be incubated before
any of the turkey hens are through
laying their first litter and become
"broody" In such case, and also when
it is desired that the turkey hens lay
more than one litter, some Of the eggs
have to be incubated under chicken
hens or in an incubator. About a
week before the poults are due to
hatch turkey hens enough should be
allowed to sit to take all the poults
Matched. They can be given a few
eggs from the incubator or from under
the chicken hens and allowed to hatch
the poults themselves, or at night
newly hatched pOult can be slipped un-
der each turkey hen that is to be given
a brood of poults and by morning she
will be glad to take them.
Lice.
Lice are great annoyance to sit
ting hens and are one of the worst
enemies Of young pouits. To prevent
their getting a foothold, dust the hen
thoroughly with some good lice pow
de rbefore she is placed on the nest
and once week thereafter while she
is sitting. The nesting material
should be kept clean, and if the eggs
become dirty they should be washed
with lukewarm water.
BrOodng.
If the weather is warm and dry no
shelter is required, as the poults do
better in the open. Should it be rainy
however, they need to be protected,
for nothing is more injurious than for
them to become wet and chilled. The
most satisfactory plan is to confne
the mother turkey hen to a coop and
allow the poults to run in and out
whenever rain does not prevent. This