Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 91, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 July 1898 — HOUSE FOR TURKEYS. [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HOUSE FOR TURKEYS.

It Secures the Flock at Mjrht and Provides a Flhe FeediiiK Place Y for Young Birds. My turkeys have a large fauge, and as foxes are numerous in this vicinity’ a great many of the finest birds were killed last year. In June I had a house built like the accompanying illustration to secure the flock at night, to provide a feeding place for the young birds during the day’ and to prevent the old birds from eating with them. The building is 12 feet square, ten feet high in front and eight feet at the back. The foundation consists of tamarack planks spiked solidly together and four posts are set’in at the corners. The sides are of tine slats, four inches wide, nailed an inch apart so as to provide light and air within. The roof is made of boards put on to exclude the rain. On one side is a door (a), 6x3 feet, fastened by hooks on the outside and inside. On the front there is an opening (b). and a door (c). On the ground the opening (b) is four inches high and five feet long and per-

inits the ingress and egress of the young birds only. This is closed by means of a drop board. The hanging door (c) is 12 feet long two feet wide and two feet from the ground, is formed of boards like the sides, is fastened by hooks and is attached to the front by strong hinges. Inside the house are drinking and feeding troughs for the young birds, clean straw at one tide and three tiers of roosts, the first very low, the second midway and the third of strong poles as near the top as possible. In the morning I dropped the hanging door to let out the old birds, fed them outside, nnd closed the door. Went in at the side door, fastened it, fed and watered the young birds and left them till the dew was off the grass. By raising the board the young ones could come out to the old ones. Three times a day they came to be fed, the board being utilized to shut them in until all were fed. At night the young ones remained in nnd by dropping the hanging door the old hens flew in. When the turkeys grew too large for the opening (b). I fed them just outside the house and they entered by means of both floors, which were fastened before dark. The house was adapted to our purpose from the time the hens were let out of the coops until they were sold in the fall.—American Agriculturist.

COMFORTABLE TURKEY HOUSE.