The Bozeman courier. (Bozeman, Mont.) 1919-1954, 1923-07-18
MORE ABOUT
TURKEYS

LlACN QACQ lOI IlCs III &c OhC OoN
story we often hear. But thank for
tune, most every one got along nicely
for two months, three months, and
many are still going good. Of course
there are many successful turkey
raisers throughout the entire south
west whose experience and flocks are
of such proportions that the element
of doubt as to whether growing tur-
keys is no longer an enterprise. 1t
is encouraging to observe the tenacity
and determination with which many
beginners are continuing their efforts
to be successful, and for the thought
full, painstaking worker we predict
that there is no agricultural pursuit
that will give as profitable returns for
the time, trouble and money expended
as will the growing of turkeys. A
reasonable understanding of what con-
| stitutes good turkey are seems to be
the rock upon which most hopes are
shattered. Whoever said, BE sure
you are right and then go ahead"
| could have had the inspiration to so
| speak from a brief experience with
turkeys.
If you were successful the first ten
days-which is to say that if your
poults were strong enough to stand
and eat and arrived in good shape
ten days hence the major portion Of
your losses after that time were due
to your own shortcomings.
Health and life are the normal pro-
cesses of existence. Their opposite,
disease and death, occur only when
natures laws are violated. With
turkeys there appears to be a consti-
tutional tendency toward digestive
stagnation, which doubtless has its
origin in the domestication of its wild
ancestors. This probable inheritance
plus the failure of nan to recognize
the fact that a turkey does not reach
maturity at it's first year and to pro-
vide accordingly has worked a serious
hardship on its reputation to endure
in confinement. Let US not forget
that the most generous range Of today
is but a tiny cage compared to the
turkey freedom of a few generations
ago.
What is wrong with my turkeys
l started with thirty in April and they
did so well until the first part of July
there are just ten left and some OF
them are droopy. Is there anything
; that can be done? At first l notice
thin yellowish droppings-then the
birds drowsy, wings drop, quits
eating, sleeps standing, grows thin
lame and emaciated, head become:
, very dark, staggers and dies. A post
norton examination reveals an en-
larged liver, very yellow with ulcera
tions appearing in spots on it." The
symptoms are enough to kill a mule
and the turkey dies, too.
/, Experience would have scented tn,
first disorder-"thin yellowish drop
pings and the lameness"-then AM
9 there detected the bird and removed i
from the main flock. A careful sur
4 vey would be made of sanitary, hous
ing and feeding conditions, both o
the healthy birds and of the hospita
pen. Avoid mash feeds except to tn,
p breeders. Provide all the skim milk
buttermilk or semi-solid buttermill
> that the flock will drink Range, i
c available, if not a green feed hop
per supplied with chopped alfalfa
II kale o. other similar bulk. At nigh
a liberal feed of oats, barley an
wheat-the more oats the better. A,
onion bed sufficient to allow the floc.
|. some chopped onions, tops and al
every day until four weeks before GO
h ing to market will do much to main
K tain health. English scientists clair
that taken as a base, ripe onion juic
rates 100 per cent in vitamine
S. which is the most elusive of the thre
common vitamines. Keep a supply {
If grit, shell, charcoal and medium bon
1t accessible. The method of housing {
t. roosting growing turkeys depend
a. largely on the locality and the mar
ner of hardening X them from tn
brooder with outside roosts preferre
Turkeys are extremely susceptible
RS diseases by contamination. so thu
n. CLEANLINESS anu mOuCI dIiOu III SOpP'
We of concentrated feeds. plus sufficiel
bulk ar ethe high lights in prou'
e. care. Our contention is that it is le
is work and less expense to prevent sic.
a ness than it is to cur it.
S~egregate from the main flock. Pr
r. vide fresh soil and clean quartz
with protection from hot sun, VII
IS and dampness. Supply buttermilk
of drink-very little to eat. Natu
n teaches this by taking away the a
on petite. Most forms of sickness a
IS. brought on through failure to q
he simulate and eliminate the matter t
Up ken into the system intended for foe
ed In cases of colds, roup, chickenpo
n canker and kindred troubles individu
IN treatment is most efectual and mo
ne rapid. Treat a turkey as you wou
yourself or your child and with {
same remedies In about one-half &