Milford chronicle., 1931-01-30
TURKEY
RAISING
PROBLEMS
Reply To Mr.. II. Selden, Farming
ton, Delaware.

ton, Delaware.
A letter from a subscriber of tn
Milford Chronicle came to the ed
tor. propounding several problems
as to legal provisions against tres
passing by poultry, methods of rails
ing turkeys and asking advice so a
to avoid trouble as far as possible
TO make proper references AM
CLEAN information from experiences
growers of turkeys, requires SOM
time from the many duties and in
terest of daily life, even though
health and physical conditions arr
at their best However. the lettel
from Mr.. Harry Selden. of Farming
ton, Delaware. calls for reply Sc
far as possible within the limits O
information sources at our com
mand.
First Question. What is the law
regulating trespass by turkeys
Answer: The laws as made and pro
yided by the Legislature of Della
ware, touching damages sustained
from such trespass, which may be
found in the Revised Code of 1899
and subsequent volumes of the laws
of the State of Delaware.
That part of the law in which
trespass is enforced by those who
desire TO get protection through
damages, will be found in the laws
of 1927 and is that section covered
in Volume %, Chapter 255, Section
IA, Laws of Delaware, and it reads
as follows:
Justices of the Peace shall sew
orally have jurisdiction within their
respective Counties, of all causes of
action arising from trespass upon
the land of other than their owners,
of - horses, cattle, hogs. turkeys,
geese, chickens, suineas and all
other animals and fowl, where the
damage claimed is not more than
($1O0) One Hundred Dollars, with
the right of appeal in all cases to
the Superior Court. as in other civil
actions"
II is always more safe to call on Il
competent lawyer, or Justice of the
Peace before making any move to
protect your own interests from
trespass of either man, animal or
fowl. Several facts depend upon the
case other than the act of trespass,
which have to be considered in en-
forcing the laws; so get advice be-
fore action is taken, and then pro-
ceed accordingly. This is the one
and only advice offered to Mr.. Sell
don, or others interested in similar
cases. 1t will avoid much annoy
ance as we'll as costly experience.
The fact has been demonstrated in
the western turkey growing states,
as well as on the Del-Mar-Va Pen
insula, that turkey eys~are less trouble
to raise when restricted as to range,
and with ordinary wire enclosures
of considerable size are used. This is
easy to confirm through interviews
with large turkey growers on the
eastern shore of Maryland, and near
home in Delaware by inspection and
interview with Johnothan S. Willis
and others of Milford Neck, who
have followed the plan of using wire |
enclosures of considerable space. |
These have to be moved to other To- |
cations at least once each season, |
but it is better that removing the |
range limits twice each season be |
made
Crops generally have matured by |
the early fall season so that tur-
keys would do little if any damage |
if permitted to roam at will; but |
the growers believe that for safety |
from dogs and other danger, it is
preferable to an open range. 1t cost
but little to move the wire fences,
as those who have had experience
will admit. Turkey raising under
the custom of free range in the past,
has been shown to be costly in so
many cases, that growers of the
present day, prefer to restrict tur-
keys to limited range, where they
are under close supervision of the
owners.
There is no fair or honest reason
or other poultry,tO turn his poultry
out to annoy or damage neighbors.
than there is for him to turn hogs,
COWS or animals of any kind out to
range on the public and became Il
danger to traffic, or destroy crops of
others than owners of such animals
or poultry.
1t is the lazy or indolent farmer
who commits acts of treSpass
his poultry or stock. and it
is neither just or even fair for the
farmer to plant crops to
be destroyed by animals, or poultry
of neighbors. The laws are made to
protect those who need to be pro-
tected from those who trespass.
their negligence to restrict
range according to the laws. If tile
real farmer has not courage to com
pei the offender to relieve the sit
iation, then there is no use for any
laws. Enforce the laws as made and
all will be benefited.