Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1926-06-19
~ Poult:rlyNotes
E&A$QVI8sZ "
Successful Turkey
| Raising Ideas

By Mrs. c. J. Doxtater. Willow
Brook Farm. Evans Mills. N. Y.
The season of baby turkeys Is here
and with 1t the question: How are
we going to feed and care for them
in order that we may feel satisfied,
and have something to show for our
labor next fall?
Our experience Of many years with
full blooded Bourbon Reds may be
Of some help to beginners. First,
let me say be prepared to give lot
of time to your work If you wish to
be successful with turkeys. We
raise ours with chicken hens and
our full blood Columbian .Wyan-
dottes make good mothers, with
not break the eggs when getting on
and off. We try to plan settings so
as to have several hatchings at a
time, but can't always do this as we
sell Matching eggs; so we set ours
between orders or any time we hap
pen to get few eggs. If we have
one or two special eggs in nest and
we want to be sure and mark these,
we either watch closely or put these
eggs under another hen after they
are pipped, but of course the hen
and nest must be warm before the
eggs are moved, then as soon, as the
little bird is out and dry take your
little toe marker and mark him, then
you will know all you want to-
next fall. You can mark between
different toes of either foot, ETC., and
| then have a record book. We also
! use leg bands, las these are easier to
see; for instance, one setting per-
haps have a toe mark in the right
foot so We put blue leg band on the
right leg, another strain has a toe
mark on the left foot so we put red
! leg bands on the left leg. Begin with
, baby chick bands and when these
! are outgrown use Leghorn bands,
| then the largest size and at least
! use metal ones. It is a good deal of
| work, but each night 1t is easier to
| count them if they are all marked.
! We do not feed until at least
! forty-eight hours old. Then we give
! some fine gravel q sift it through a
! piece of window screen tackled on a
| wooden box from which top and bot
! tom have been removed,) little
| later We give thick sour milk, in a
! few hours give the first feed, hard
| boiled eggs crushed fine, shell and
| all. The next time we feed the same
only add nearly an equal amount of
| green stuff cut up fine. Dandelions
| are good as long as they are tender,
! then use lettuce. Feed on a dish or
! board that you can clean and scald.
A little vegetable brush is good to
wash these boards with. 1 usually
feed the first few feeds from my
, hand. Be sure they eat all you give
them; If they don't, take it away.
! Never leave any feed unless dry
/ mash before them. Feed only a lit
+ tie at a time and about every two
hours for the first two weeks. After
| the first week, dry bread squeezed
/ dry from either milk or water can
| be used, with an equal amount of
, green feed and to each tea cup full
! add a tablespoon of fine gravel.
! Only mix enough for one feed at a
time and have a clean cup and feed
, dishes each time. Once a week we
give Epson Salts and once a week
, syrup of ipecac in the drinking
! water
| Last year we used a steam cooked
! feed beginning about the third week
! and gradually dropping off the
bread, later following with wheat
and very fine cracked corn. Of
| course, you will not raise all you
| hatch, so don't be discourag ed il
! some die, for they usually will as &C
cidents will happen; but keep up
your courage and learn by your own
| experience.
Our turkeys are raised in coops
| with little wire runs made in frames,
and are moved every day unless it
rains and there isn't dry spot to
move to. We have covers for these
runs that are put on every night be-
/ fore the dew falls so the little yard
| is all dry early in the morning, for
little turkeys like to get up early,
and by moving coops and runs every
day the grass is always nice and
green and a good clean sod is main
| taioa5