Montpelier examiner. [volume] (Montpelier, Idaho) 1895-1937, 1920-04-02

ment Of Agricultural
Turkeys. where there Is plenty of
range, are profitable side line upon
( he general farm, for the cost of rails
I bag them is snail and the profits large.
J The number raised in the United
/ i;tates is gradually decreasing. how
ever This is due to number Of
causes. a serious one being the high
I mortality among the young poults.
Careful management will greatly re
I iuce this loss. according to the United
States department Of agriculture poul-
try specialists
First Week Dangerous.
The average number of poults
raised under ordinary conditions is
about 50 per cent Of those Matched
out, or about z pOults for every turkey
hen. BY far the greater part of the
loss occurs when the poults are under
week old. Seldom are any lost aft
er they are a month old unless there
/ is an outbreak of disease The high
mortality among young pOults is main
/ ly caused by exposure to dampness
and cold. improper feeding, close CON
! finement, lice. predatory animals, or
inherent weakness. The last-named
cause is the result of carelessness
In selection of parent stock.
As soon as the hatch is completed
and the poults begin TO run around
outside the nest the hen and brood
are ready to be removed to the coop
| provided for them. The coop should
be built to keep out rain. it should
be well ventilated, capable of easy
| movement, and be sufficiently rOomy
for turkey hen to stand erect and
walk about There should be n sep
arate coop for each hen and brood,
and the coops should be scattered
about the farm in such places as are
easily drained and where natural feed
such as tender. green vegetation
(grass, clover, alfalfa, and other green
feed. and insects, particularly grass
hoppers, can be found. BY moving the
coop every day the ground will be
kept clean and opportunity will be
given the mother hen and poults TO
pick up fresh, green feed inside the
coop.
Plenty of exercise is essential If the
poults are to thrive. AT all times,
when rain or dampness does not pre-
vent, the poults should be allowed to
run In and out of the coop at Will.
Too much stress cannot be given to
the necessity of exercise, and the only
way to provide for this is to allow the
poults at every possible opportunity
to range for feed outside the coop
During a long-cOntinued rainy season
1t is better to allow them to run out
of the coop whenever 1t is not actu
ally raining, even though the grass Is
somewhat damp. BY combining the
mother hen to the coop she will always
be ready to cover the poults when
ever they run to her, which they will
do If they become chilled. The great
est care should be taken to keep the
interior OF the coop dry, and for this
reason 1t is advisable to choose a
sandy slope where the water runs of
quickly and where there Is also pro
lection from heavy rains.
Feeding the PouIts.
Improper feeding, combined with
close confinement, has been the cause
of many failures in turkey raising. II
the range is pIentifully supplied with
green feed, grasshoppers, and other
insects. and If the weather is favor
able, then the best plan is TO allow the
poults TO feed themselves.
When, on account of rainy weather
or unfavorable range conditions, it is
advisable to raise the poults by the
coop method, more care must be given
to their feeding. For the first two
days after Matching, poults require no
feed, the yOlk of the egg which they
absorb before breaking out Of the
shell being sufficient to maintain them
for that length OF time. Access to
coarse sand and green feed to pick
at is all that is needed until the third
day.
Beginning with the third day. the
poults should be fed according to the
quantity OF natural feed they are able
to pick up outside the coop. When nat
uraI feed Is scarce. or when the pOuIts
have to be kept from ranging outside
they should be fed lightly about five
times q day. II allowed to run outside
the coop where they can find insects
seeds and green feed, they need moi