Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-06-22

We cannot ,io better than begin with
! the American turkey The wild supply IS
| rapidly decreasing and domestic birds
| are not produced rs much as they should
! be. Farmers complain that they are bard
! to raise. but that is because the rules for
| successful management are not well
| known
The hest time 10 batch chicks is June
| or July \ turkey usually LAYS about
| Is to 20 eggs But to have the eggs
fertile and the chicks strong. each male
bird should bc limtcd to sixteen hens
\ good plan Is 10 daily remove the first
seven or eight eggs laid and set them under
chicken hen The rest of the eggs land
can hc safely covered by the turkey her
self All egg set should hc marked, be-
cause turkey often lays an cgg or two
after beginning to slt
The period of incubation Is from 26 to
~ days The turkey IS persistent sitter
After she has settled down 10 incubation,
she should bc daily removed from her nest
for food and exercise Care should l,c
taken that she does not wander off. ms she
Is apt Ia do and leave her nest FOR moro
than 20 minutes \ limited grass run
should hc provided, # possible Besides
this daily feeding and exercise. water and
soft food should hc left within her reach.
MANAGING TURKEY CHICKS
For slN or eight weeks turkey chicks
arc dchcatc They should be kept from
vet grass and ram storms \ slight
shower. even IN warm weather, may
cause the death of half brood II is
therefore wise q provide special shelter
for Young hrood~ during thus critical
faf al
IL that hoard floor Is advisable \
building with protected walls we'll rooted
and Vel ventilated Is 4 profitable invest
mont for turkey chicks
good food for the first week IS hard
holcd eggs. mixed with dandciion plants
chopped small At the end Of ten DAYS
some bread crumbs or barley meal may
bc added 70 the cgE ration Boiled eggs
should he gradually discontinued About
this tune boiled potato may to added to
tho ration 4 week or two later small
gram may hc civcn Min curls make
An excellent food They arc easily pre-
pared hy adding pinch q alum to 4
measure az slightly warmed milk
When about two months old tho red
cNcrc~ccnccs on tho neck and throat begin
rs appcar This is . sICn of vIcor When
this red Is We'll developed the chicks have
become po}IltS They arc rs hardy now as
any other fowl and c:tn stand almost any
sort of weather without risk Take reason
able care 81 them and they VIII become tho
hardest birds oi the farm iocks
Turkeys prefer 70 roost III trees and
rarely take shelter in the hon house An
open shed containing high pcrchcs should
hc provided i trees are not available.
SUCCESS WIN GUINEA FoWrS
Tho guinea fowl sometimes called
the Gallna or Plntado, IS not kept on
farms 50 much as It's merits warrant
1t Is as good for giving alarm at night
as any watch dog When dressed for he
table its flesh is as delicate as that Of any
game brd
Bat ruineas mate in pairS SO that
an cqHai number oi males and females
must hc kept 10 provide high fertility
IN egg The hen laws freely from Alay -
August She IS a very shy bird If eggs
are taken from her nest whIie She Is
around she will forsake II and seek an
other Therefore. a few eggs should be
left IN the nest. " hch should not be visited
when tho guinea IS in sight
j. IS best to SCI the first eggs under
chicken hon a> the guinea often be-
comes broody too late 10 rear a brood
Bur II She sits carly enough she rarely
fails - hatch nearly all her eggs The
period Of incubation Is about the same as
turkey eggs
If q farmer desires to make a start
with guncas, il IS best 10 procure eggs
and set them under chicken hen If
mature birds are purchased. they arc