Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-06-10
covered one secret OF the successful
raiser-a sturdy Matching.
Learning From Nature

II
ture are hampered by their knowledge
of the habits of chickens. The SINH
larity of young fowls to turkeys is
merely superficial. On vital points
they differ radically. Turkeys are
voracious without a chickens ability
to assimilate great quantities. They
require a certain amount of exercise as
an aid to digestion, yet too much run
ming wearies them to the point of eX-
haustion. Little ones confined lack
sufficient roughage (supplied by green
food such as clover, alfalfa, rape etc),
with sad consequences, unless generous
provision is made in each meal. Their
rapid feathering drains their vitality
heavily. Witness the dragging wings
of weak. eight-day turkeys. Already
they are tagging in the race.
Ventilation is vital necessity, but |
draughts on turkeys court trouble.
Soured food, which chicken might |
eat with impunity, works havoc with |
their digestion. In short, to rear
them with a measure of success, one
must studiously avoid offending their
habits with which by observation we
may easily become acquainted. Fail
ure with turkeys, aside from mishaps,
springs from the attempt to force them
to conform to an unnatural regimen.
There are diets a-plenty. The chief
difficulty is in selecting a diet easily
and cheaply prepared, and the best
suited to their needs. The list is di-
verse and lengthy:
Meal and bran mash,
Meal and midGlings mash,
Chickenfeed,
| Curd,
Boiled wheat,
Boiled rice,
Baked cornbread,
Rolled oats,
Bread crumbs soaked in milk
! Whatever is used in the way of a
cereal. chopped green food such as
onions, garlic wild onions), lettuce or
fennel, should predominant This les
sens danger of digestive disturbance.
Hard boiled egg is the factor common
to all diets Mashes are excellent,
but require the exercise of good judg-
ment in the quantity given. If the
last particle is not eaten at night, it is
apt to sour by morning, and trouble
ensues. The best all-round feed for
young ones after the first week is a
good chick-feed with chopped onion
tops, hardboiled egg and curd, if avail
able. Chickfeed cannot ferment un-
| less 1t becomes wet. Black pepper is
a good stimulant given occasionally to
counteract any tendency to diarrhoea.
Site For CoOps and Runs
Every farm presents it's own prob
lem as to the proper place for the
turkey coop. A well-drained spot in
a wheat field as pasture is ideal The
IRrowtng wheat affords rich pasturage
for the young turkeys. They may even
hide there from the willy hawk. When
1t Is cut, the shattered grain reinforces
their diet. AT all times it shelters a
plentiful supply of insect food. Best
of all, the ground is newly turned and
| less apt to harbor disease germs
If the farm woman must count her
| footsteps she may set her GOODS near
at hand on ground lately plowed, yet
separate from chickens. A small
| patch of rape may be planted where
the little ones may run. They are
particularly fond of this, which will
supply a portion of their green food.
Nothing affects turkey health more
subtly or fatally than parasites. When
the little ones droop or sicken with
out visible cause, search for vermin
Be satisfied only with close scrutiny
After some years OF experience with
turkeys, l find that these are respon-
slble for my greatest losses. Where
they come from is the enigma. From
bad associations, from neighboring
fowls, from birds or from sparrows
who steal their food-some way de-
spite care, they often become infest-
ed. Eternal vigilance is the watch
word For those that infest the
head, amounting with one-half cupful
salt grease mixed with one teaspoon
full kerosene is excellent. For others.
a plentiful use of insect powder is suf-
hcient If turkeys are allowed long
to be infested, they rapidly deteriorate.
Some die lingeringly, as if it were
some wasting disease, and are dosed.
poor things accordingly, when their
dire need is insect powder.
Exemption From Dosing
Health disdalns medicine. So with
turkeys avoid dosing till disease ap-
pears. Always isolate the sickly
Seldom is it excusable even to disin.
feet their drinking water, unless dis
ease is present. Continued use of
such is detrimental to thriftiness
Even the old custom of examining a
! peppercorn down the throat of the
newly matched turkey, while appar-
ehtiy harmless, is better discarded.
| Dosing turkeys, except with the sim
pier remedies, is at best an unsatis-
factory performance Tor the unscien-
| tlhc raiser. One should aim to have
their surroundings present no tempta-
tlons to partake of anything but what
IS good for them. Especially is this
! true with regard to their drinking
water. Turkeys manifest a fondness
for drinking out of mudholes. Such
habit once formed, is cured with
difficulty.
One of the contributions towards
turkey health is an airy coop. Vari-
Gus types are in use, each with its
recommendation. Those with wire
! fronts are admirable. Other models
have Ventilators at the top. The best
coops have no floors and are moved
| frequently. In locations where drain
age is not of the best, or the ground
Is uneven, earth may be shoveled
against the sides. This prevents
water running underneath during
! fooding rains. Whatever its stvIe the
coop should have two specifications:
Ample ventilation and room for the
growing birds.