Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-08-01
TURKEY. RAISING NOT ALWAYS EASY
Overlooking and Lice Cause Many Deaths Among the Poul
Chicken Hens Poor Breeders. " r. @
BY A. GALEGHER,

Some people hatch their turkey
eggs with chicken-hens. The one ad-
vantage in this Is that by so doing the
turk ey- hens can be induced to lay sew
eral clutches of eggs in a season.
Year before last we Matched some
Of our turkeys with chicken-hens but
will never do so again. The hens were
set in fresh nests placed where no
other poultry had been kept, but the
poults got very lousy, and in spite OF
the fact that they were thoroughly
busted with powder every few days,
they began to droop and die.
AS a last resort after several Of the
poults had died, we began to use olive
OIL Too much Of the oil Is not very
good for young poults. but it Is not
really necessary to saturate their
whole bodies.
Lard. or any kind Of animal grease,
will kill young poultry almost as fast
as the lice will. Remember that veg
etable oil is different from every kind
Of animal oil.
Never use kerosene. We have used
castor oil with good results. The
poults were carefully examined and
very little of the oil rubbed on wher-
ever the lice were found.
Between the large quilts on the
outside of the wings the lice were
found in punches. This is favorite
hiding place. a-a9
One application Is usually sufficient
unless the lice are very numerous. 1t
is hard to locate lice sometimes.
even when one Is sure that they exist.
Never use any kind Of oil or grease
upon q sitting hen. II she has nee,
use a good louise powder. or sulphur.
OIL or grease upon the shell OF, an
egg renders it worthless, so Tar az
Matching is concerned.
Last year we Matched and raised all
our turkeys with the turkey-hens, and
not a louise was found during the en-
tire season.
Those who have tried keeping tur-
KEYS In small coops know that they
seldom thrive. 1t is next to Impossible
TO keep a coop clean and dry In wet
weather.
Last year we kept our poufts In
house. 1t was not originally intended
for a poultry-hous but 1t answered
very well for the purpose.
This house is 16 by SO feet and Is
built upon a stone foundation. There
are two doors and four large windows
We put wire screen on all the WIN
dows and doors, SO that the poults
could have plenty Of fresh air at nish'
and when kept indoors on rainy days
The building was made rat proo1
and given a coat Of whitewash inside
As soon as the poults were hatcheo
they were taken from the nest' put
into the basket and placed where they
| would have the benefit of the sun.
Few turkey-raisers realize that one
of the first things young turkey
| needs is sunshine.
It is time wasted to oner youne
turkey food before it is 4S hours OLD
The house was arranged 50 thai
each turkey-hen and brood had sep
arate apartment. The hens were
placed In the house when the po"i''
were removed from the nest.
| The reason we adopted this plan If
that it lessons the danger of the poults
hein9 crushed to death. Hens some
times get uneasy and begin to shlf'
about. Too, the hens in this way are
GIVEN q chance to get someneeded ex.
ercise sooner than they otherwise
would.
The floors are always kept covered