Jasper County Democrat, Volume 15, Number 65, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 November 1912 — DOORS' [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

DOORS'

FEW LESSONS WITH TURKEYS Breeder of Twenty-Two Year*' Experience Finds Business More Profitable Each Year. I have raised turkeys for sale 22 years, and find it a more profitable business each year, says a writer in the Farm and Beside. I have had to learn many lessons by quite an expensive route. One year I failed entirely by too close inbreeding. Another year 1 let my turkeys wander at their own will and roost where they pleased. Again I allowed some to go up in the trees—a hard storm blew them out and drowned 24 beauties. Since these lessons I have worked differently. * I change either breeding hens or toms every other year. I usually buy a thoroughbred bronze from some unrelated flock. I keep old hens for breeders, and find their poults more healthy. One early turkey is more profitable thap. three late ones, so t use the first eggs and sell the later ones. Chicken hens are set on the first laying and the poultry given to the first turkey hen that becomes broody. Large, airy pens or coops with rainproof roofs are built quite a distance from the house.

The hens are kept up two weeks, and then turned out every morning, unless the w r eather becomes rainy. They have learned to come when called, and will answer me from ever so far when I call “Pee turk! Come on I" I am never too busy or too tired to get them up at the approach of a hard storm, and at four o’clock in the evening. They soon learn to come home. After they are five or six weeks old I never feed at noon. I feed no sloppy feed, but have good luck with wheat or corn bread, cracked corn, cooked soft,, wheat, mashed potatoes, etc. The first two weeks are the most particular. I give each poult a grain of black pepper when it is 24 hours old, and a stroke of lard or vaseline from bill to top of head. Then a feed of hard-boiled egg, shell and all, crushed fine, mixed with bread soaked soft and squeezed dry. Fresh water, sand, lime and ground charcoal are kept handy. They eat of all; I never feed too much. I never feed over four times a day, and that often only a week. More turkeys die from overfeeding than underfeeding. I use a flat s board to sprinkle their feed on, and keep It clean. It pays to be cleanly with turkeys.