Crossville chronicle. [volume] (Crossville, Tenn.) 1894-current, 1917-09-26
SELECTION OF BREEDING STOCK is IMPORTANT.

(From the United States Department OF
| Agriculture.)
Because the number of turkeys In
the United States has constantly de-
creased in the last few years while the
demand has perhaps increased, more
profitable side line than turkey raising
for those favOrably situated for the
work could hardly be found. Given
plenty Of range, 1t is pointed out by
the United States department of agri-
culture in Farmers Bulletin No. 791,
turkeys will readily find grasshoppers
and other insects, green vegetation, the
| seeds of weeds and grasses, waste
| grains, and acorns and nuts of various
kinds. In this way the cost of Nraising
them Is small and the profits large.
Grain and stock farms are particularly
well adapted to turkey raising, and 1t
is In such places that most of the tur-
keys are found. Little has ever been
done in the way of raising turkeys in
confinement, and when 1t has been
tried the results have been discOurag-
ing.
Selection Of Breeding Stock.
One Of the most important steps
toward success in turkey raising is
the proper selection of breeding stock.
Unhatchable eggs, weak pOults, and
small, scrubby turkeys are largely the
result Of carelessness in the selection
of the parent stock. In selecting tur-
keys for breeding purposes, strength
and vigor are the first points to be
considered. To indicat this the body
should beTdeep and vide, and back
broad, and the breast round and full.
The head should be Of good size and
Of clean, healthy appearance. A
strong, well-made frame is shown by
thick, sturdy shanks and straight,
strong toes.
Inbreeding is harmful and If carried
on very long will result in the loss Of
vigor and vitality. 1t is therefore ad-
visable each year to obtain a new tom
Of unrelated blood, but Of the same
type. Nothing is to be gained by
crossing varieties, as such practice
soon reduces purebreds to mongrels.
The most satisfactory time of year
to select breeding stock Is November
or December. BY purchasing early in
the season one not only has larger
number to choose from, but the birds
are given ample time to become &C.
quainted with their new surroundings
before the mating season, which in the
South ordinarily begins early in Feb
ruary and in the North about month
later.
Toms With Hens.
Fifteen turkey hens can safely be
mated to vigorous tom. If 25 or 80
hens are kept, two toms should not be
allowed to run with them at the same
time, but one should be confined one
day and the other the next.
If breeding pens are used to conflue
the laying hens for a part of each day
they should be Of hog-proof wire. Rail,
board, or stone fences are of no value
for combining turkeys, which easily fly
on top Of them and then jump down
on the other side. In the case of a
wire fence, however, there is no place
on which to alight, and under ordinary
circumstances they do not make the
attempt. For this reason steel posts
are better than wooden posts for a
turkey fence unless the latter are
sharpened at the tops.
Good breeding condition means be-
ing well f1eshed, but not fat. Given
free range where there is ample sup
ply of natural feed during the winter
and early spring, such as Is usually
the case in the southern portion of the |
United States, a good daily feed of
grain, preferably oats or wheat, is suf-
ficient to keep the birds in good condi-
ton. During the winter northern tur-
key raisers usually feed twice day
on equal parts Of oats, wheat and corn,
with vegetables such as potatoes, tur-
nips, beets, and cabbage as a substi-
tute for green feed. Animal feed at
this time of year is essential to the
best results, and can be supplied by |
feeding meat scrap, beef livers and |
lungs, or SKINNED milk, either sweet
or sour.
When there Is danger that the tur-
key eggs may be chilled or destroyed,
they should be gathered every day
and a nest egg left in each nest Eggs