Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-02-05
Weekly Bureau of In
formation for All Who
Til the Soil or Arc In
terestcd in Making Homes
HOW TO RAISE TURKEYS;
A BUSINESS THAT PAYS

II WAS certainly Demonstrated last
wear that it pays 10 raise turkeys in
Virginia aud North Carolina. and it is
likely that farmers viii give more at
tcntion TO the business this year than
ever before.
For those who are ravorahly stu
atcd for raising turkeys a moro nrotit-
able side line can hardly BE- found.
Given plenty OF range where tie tur-
keys can nud ErasShopp.rS and other
insects. green vegetation. the seeds of
weeds and grasses, waste grain. ncCrnS
ana nuts OF various kinds the cos, of
raising them X very small and the
proiitS arc large. Gram and stock
farms are particularly well adapted to,
turkey raising. and !, Is On such farms
tuai most Of tn" turkeys arc touud.
Little has HNo" lccu don. u TN" way
Of RAISING turkeys an confinement. and
where it has been tried an" results
have bccn discouragin-. Plenty OF
range IS essential 10 success ia turkey
raising.
In soliciting turkeys for brc"dinc.
,hc most iUportnut factors TO lac con
SiGcrcd are vigor, size. shape. bone,
carly maturity aud C6l"r Of plumaGc.
'rha body Snoulj tee deep ana w:d". tho
back broad ana tho breast rouah ANA
ana OF u clean. h 'althN appearance. \
strong, wcil-mudr skeleton is Sh"wn
nv thick. sturdy shauNs and straight.
strong toes. 1t should be the rim, Of
every turkey ira User L. have n flock OF
pure bred turkeys. even though thcy
sold Al market prices The male
at til" head OF tho flock should. bv All
means. hc a nur.-bred OF the best type
ohlainahlc. The mai" is ouc-halt The
entire flock. and 10y continually select
ing the best females OF a similar type
ana matiu@ these with a rur"-il.cd
uniformly largo. carly maturing, and
strong bCncd. long and d"op-boGiod
turkeys OF tho same color
Fifteen turkey hens can safely hc
mated to - vigorous tom. II twenty
Eve or thirty liens are kept, two toms
should no; he allowed 10 run with
them at the same time but ono should
he confined ono day aud the other The
next. When TWO toms are allowed 80
run together dulinu the mating .;.a-
son. ,hcy fight badly AND the stronger
does practiraily all "f the mating.
Turkey hens ar" wont to "stral''
their nests in hidden places, such ~
patch Of weeds. ra!l grass or thick
brush and eftcn wander halt-niil or
more from home before they nrd To-
cations TN: suit them. 70 find these
stolen nests often proves To l." "a lu"r
and tedious task til" usual method
heinz 10 follow each turh"v hon as lilo
separates from In, lock and Start;
toward her nest, car" being taken that
she does not know Sh" j. being fol
lowed. \ much easier and quicker
method than this IS to contirc the
hens carly some morninl. soon after
they have com" down from rooyt and
!"t them nut late i'm IN" afternoon
Those that ar" laying viii then head
Tor their nests in order to lay the o.Hs
thcy have been holding.
II many turkeys are kept the use
OF q breeding pcn viii he found !,
great convenience. Yh!s pen should
cover sufficient area TO allow tho
turkeys some exercise ai acre for iif-
teen birds h"inG none too large \
VIII hold most turkeys, and II any per
Sist IN dying out. the Hight feathers Of
one wing should Ice clipped. Nests
Should he scattered about the pen.
those which turkey hens take 10 most
readily being barrels turned Oh their
sides and nests shaped in Them with
straw.
Turkey hens chickcu hens ana in
CuhatorS are commonly used 10 iuCu-
bate turkey cggs During the carly
part Of the laying season II often hap
pens that one has on hand a number
Of cESs that should ne iucubntcd be-
fore any OF tile turkey hens arc
Through laying their frs, litter and
become "hroodN." In such case ana
also when II is desired that the turkey