xt7g1j97805t https://exploreuk.uky.edu/dipstest/xt7g1j97805t/data/mets.xml   Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station. 1927 journals kaes_circulars_217 English Lexington : The Service, 1913-1958. Contact the Special Collections Research Center for information regarding rights and use of this collection. Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 217 text Circular (Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station) n. 217 1927 1927 2014 true xt7g1j97805t section xt7g1j97805t siderahle
m°ih¤ CIRCULAR NO. 217
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Lexington, Ky.
l December, 1927.
‘ Published in connection with the zmgrictilturul extension work carried
i 011 by cooperation of the College of Agriculture, University of Kentucky,
E . with the U. S. Depzmrtment of Agriculture and distributed in furtlierance
of the work provided for in the Act of Congress of May 8, 1914.

 Ten Essentials for Successful Turkey Raising  V
1. Use only strong, mature breeding stock.
2. Feed a balanced ration to the breeders.
3. Do not feed oults until forty—eight hours old. .
P
4. D0 not overfeed the young poults. V
5. Kee the oults and mother he11 free from lice. I
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. Turkey Brooding Coop for hen nncl 20 poults. The coop is 5 feet square,
and has one corner prntectecl with top and sides.
(See page S for plans)
‘ 6. Do not let the poults get chilled.
7. Do not raise turkeys in the same yard or pasture with chickens.
8. A brood coop or brooder house to confine hen and poults should
be provided for each brood.
9. D0 not let turkeys eat green corn.
10. Do not try to cure blackhead. AVOID IT.

 j EXTENSION CIRCULAR NO. 217
u Raising Turkeys
By J. HOLMES MARTIN
   >
Q   B According to the 1920 census Kentucky ranks fifth among 9
    K all the states in turkey production. The turkey industry is on the
gf   decline in Kentucky, as well as in many other sections. The fol-
?   g lowing census figures show that this unmistakably is true in
   { Kentucky:
  A Year N0. Turkeys in Kentucky
      1900 279,949
  l 1910 188,292
tg I { 1920 168,326
_ij  K Disease (most frequently blackhead) is given by many as
l   . the cause for the decline in turkey raising. Restricted range
éfV" . areas have frequently caused people to discontinue raising
{ __ it turkeys. If the turkey industry is to continue in Kentucky the
limi T haphazard methods of care must be forsaken and partial (3011-
finement combined with due sanitary precautions adopted. The
mortality of poults can be lessened by the adoption and practice
. of such methods.
iiild The Bronze variety is the most popular in Kentucky. How-
ever, flocks of Narragansetts, Bourbon Reds and Wliite Hollands
are numerous. The following standard weights of the common
breeds show their comparative size:
i Breed Adult Tom Cockerel Hen Pullet
n Bronze 36 lbs. 25 lbs. 20 lbs. 16 lbs.
Narragansett and
~ Bourbon Red 30 lbs. 20 lbs. 18 lbs. 14 lbs.
, ‘ White Holland 28 lbs. 20 lbs. 18 lbs. 14 lbs.

 4 Kentlucky Extension Circular N0. 217
It is usually considered that the Bronze turkeys are the  ·
most difficult to confine, and are exceptionally good rangers, and I
that the Bourbon Reds, White Holland and Narragansett are  ·
easy to coniine to pens. This statement is generally taken as
true, but any breed of turkeys properly managed can be con-
fined to pens, their range limited and good results secured, pro-  I
vided certain essential sanitary precautions are taken.  »
SELECTION OF BREEDING STOCK
In selecting breeding stock, constitutional vigor is of most ’
importance. Many turkey raisers make the mistake of keeping g
late hatched, undersized hens for breeders, beeause they will _
not bring as much on the market as the good hens. It is better I
to use old hens instead of pullets for breeders, tho well-matured `
pullets may be used. Hens may be kept for five or six years, if [
. they continue to lay well. Coekerels, if well-matured, are as
good to use as old toms, but should never be mated to pullets. y
Twelve to 15 hens can be mated to one tom and good results ;
secured. Only one mating is necessary to fertilize a clutch of
eggs. Toms weighing twenty-five to thirty pounds (when not ‘
fat) are best, as birds weighing forty or more pounds frequently T 5
l ‘ injure the hens.
MANAGEMENT OF BREEDING STOCK
I Do not have the breeding stock too fat. A ration consisting
only of corn should never be fed. It is advisable to add other
grains to the ration and some mill feed, such as bran and mid-
dlings. During the breeding season the turkeys should be given
a dry mash. A good mixture consists of 100 pounds of mill feed
(bran and middlings) and 25 pounds of ai good grade of tankage
(60% protein). The mash and oyster shell should be kept before
the hens at all times. They should also be given a grain feed.
HATCHING TURKEY EGGS i
Turkey eggs may be saved as long as 4 weeks, provided th€)'  
are kept in a cool place (400 to 650 F.) and turned daily. HOW-  ’
ever, it is best not to hold them over two weeks unless unavoid-  Y
able. *

 Raising Turkeys 5
1,8 the Turkey eggs require 28 days to hatch. A 68 per cent hatch
S] and f was secured in 1923 by 16 turkey demonstration flocks, setting
tt are » 2,383 eggs. The eggs may be set under chicken hens, turkey hens
mn as or in ineuhators. For Kentucky late April and May are best
B Cm  i for hatching. However, many breeders get good results with
ly pm early June hatches,
  A chicken hen usually will cover 10 turkey eggs and a
I turkey hen from 18 to 20. There is little if any difference be-
< tween the chicken and turkey hens for hatching. Do not inter-
imost ·`  fere with the hen during natural incubation, only make sure
eeping ( that she gets sufficient feed and water.
V will Any good, well-ventilated incubator will hatch turkey eggs
better ‘ if earefully operated. Leave the thermometer on the tray in the
Lturéd . same position as used in hatching ehieken eggs, and run the ina-
M`S> lf  . ehine at 100 to 101 degrees. In artificial incubation it usually
tre as ‘ helps to add a little additional moisture. Dashing warm water
Hum- A (1000 F.) over the eggs about the twenty-seventh day (just
eint; z when ready to pip) aids the hatching. Use about a tea cup
1c 0 ·¢ of water to 100 eggs.
n not ;
leutly  · METHOD OF BROODING
A Poults may be raised in brooders the same as chickens, but
 ~_ the most general practice is to use turkey or chicken hens. A
ismw · brood coop is a necessity in raising poults. The College of Agri-
Otlm; culture has prepared plans of the turkey brooding coop illus-
mid_ trated on page 2. Wvorking plans are given on page 8-9. A num-
gm], ber of turkey breeders in the state have used these brood coops
( feed with outstanding success. The coops should be placed in a good
mage pasture and kept several yards apart with only the ground as
More adoor. A turkey hen with 15 to 20 poults should be placed
edi lll each coop. It is a good plan to confine them to the coop until
the poults are a week old, moving the coop to fresh ground at
least every other day. If the weather is suitable during the
thcv 4 . first week the long, narrow door may be opened to let the poults
[low- ( out while the hen is still confined to the coop. After the Hrst
void- ‘ week the hen may be let out with the poults in the morning, if
  the weather is suitable. The hen with her brood should always

 6 Kentucky Extension Circular N0. 217 A
be put back i11to the brood coop at night and the doors shut to
keep out prowling animals. If the brood is fed a light feed
morning and evening in the coop they will return without any i
difficulty. The coop should be used as a shelter until the poults i
are large enough to roost in the trees or on high poles. A wagon
wheel placed on the top of a pole makes satisfactory roosts,
since each spoke serves as a roost. Because no houses and costly
equipment are needed for turkeys every person raising them
should at least invest in brooding coops.
FEEDING POULTS '
Probably there are as many different methods of feeding `
poults as there are turkey raisers. Most of these methods have ,
proved at least fairly satisfactory where certain precautions are »
taken. Some of the most common causes of losses in young poults .
V are chilling, feeding sooner than 48 hours, overfeeding, and
using wet, sloppy or spoiled feed.
The following ration fed by many successful turkey raisers
should serve as a guide.
. For the first 48 hours nothing is fed, the poults remaining '
quietly in the nest for the first 24 hours, Having first cleaned
out the shells remaining in the nest the hen and her brood are E
transferred to the pen that has been made ready for them. lf
the coop in which the hen is to be confined has been used before,
it should be cleaned and disinfeeted. On the morning of the
second day that the poults are in their pen, they are fed a piece
of stale light bread two inches square and one inch thick for
every twenty poults. The bread is soaked in sour milk, as one can
always have the milk sour, although sweet milk would be just as
good. Squeeze as much of the milk out as possible, leaving the
bread so it will crumble well. Add to the bread a third of a tea- i
spoonful of clean sand. A pinch of some good poultry regulator
may do some good. Many successful turkey raisers prefer to
start the poults on a good baby chick ration. Excellent results
have been secured by feeding one of those rations recommended
in Extension Circular 157, "Brooding Chicks Arti1'icially." The

 Raising Turkeys 7
  to all-mash chick ration has proved quite practical for the feed-
€€(l ing Of young poultS.*
it any The crumbly bread is given the poults four or five times a
poults day for the first ten days. Spread the feed on a clean board about
wagon three feet long and six inches wide, so that all poults can get to
roosts, the feed and not overerowd. At the first meal it is sometimes
costly necessary to teach the poults to eat. Do this by allowing some of
them i the bread to stick to the fingers and holding it so that the poults
. V can see it. lt will not take them long to see what is wanted. After
the first ten days feed only two times a day, giving them as much
in the two feeds as formerly in four or five.
ming After the poults are four weeks old continue feeding two
y hav; ‘ times a day, chick grain at night and soaked bread in the morn-
IS are ing, increasing the amount of bread as the poults grow. Here
,0,,,,3 one must be careful not to overfeed. The poults should be kept
and hungry. If the clover or grass sod is not very good, feed a small
amount of green feed. If the sod is fresh and good, they will
_ get all the green feed that is necessary. One important thing
mm is not to feed the bread on the ground or allow any of it to lie
there and become moldy. The feeding trough or board must
ining be kept clean. Wasli it often and set it in the sun to dry. A
zaned small pan of chick size charcoal is very good; keep it in the
;l are pen all the time. Let the poults have water or milk, milk pre-
. lf _ ferred (either sour or sweet) for the first six weeks. lt is a good
efore, . plan to add one tablespoonful of Epsom salts to each quart of
f the drinking water frequently 2l11(l keep before the poults half hour.
piece
I for NEW CORN
zcan It is generally known to turkey raisers that new soft corn
st as will kill yotuig turkeys. Early in the fall it is best to keep the
gtlie turkeys out of the corntield, if possible, but if they get green
tea- corn and have indigestion, usua.lly a tablespoonful of castor oil
later given to each turkey will save them. However, they must be
r to treated as soon as they show signs of sickness. New corn should
salts never be fed turkeys until it has dried out thoroly. Consequently,
ided V they should be fed and fattened in the fall on old corn. If it is
The  ’ of Extension Circular 157, describing these rations may be
secured upon request.

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KY TURKEY BROODIFIG
C O OP
EXTENSION w0s21»< nm
AGRICULTURAL ENGINEERING
COLLEGE OF ABRICULTURE UNIVERSITY or KY
DRAWN Br WN€,·N-Munn
Avvxmvzu Bw ,’ G/1%, *%*/54

 10 K emfucky Extension Circular N0. 217
impossible to fence the turkeys away from the green corn, they
should be fed (the first thing in the morning) a mixture of whole
oats a.nd old corn liberally, so that their appetite for grain will i
be well satisfied before they roam to the corn field. ;
LICE AND MITES
Lice are the cause of the loss of many poults each year.
Wlien a hen is set she should be thoroly dusted with sodium
fluoride* and this repeated at least two days before the hatch is
due. If lice do get on the poults it is best to put a little melted
lard on the head of each one when they go to roost at night. The
hen should be dusted again with sodium fluoride before she is let i
out the next morning. Do not dust the hen at night as some of
the fluoride might get into the eyes of the young poults.
. The brood coops should be kept clean and free from mites.
This can be done by spraying the coops thoroly with a 5 per cent _
solution of some good stock dip before the hen and poults are put
in. Thirteen tablespoonfuls of the dip to one gallon of water
makes a solution of this strength. '
i REMEDIES ]
Bichloride of mercury (corrosive sublimate) is a good i
remedy for intestinal troubles. It should be used at the rate of
1 gram (15 grains) to 1 gallon of water. The water should be l
in a crock or a granite or wooden vessel, as the mercury will eat j 1
tin or iron containers. This solution is poisonous to stock and `
human beings. Extension Circular 165 "Blackhead" contains
formulas for various combinations with biehloride of mercury. (
Calomel (which is the monochloride of mercury) may be (
used in place of the bichloride as an intestinal antiseptic and (
preventive of indigestion. A one-tenth (1/ 10) grain tablet (
should be given each young poult twice a week from the third
week to the ninth when it should be increased to one-half (%)
grain twice a week till the poults have "shot the red" at three
months. These tablets should be dropped into the young poult’s 5
mouth. S
  fluoride powder may be purchased at any drug store for 30c ,,
to 50c a pound.

 Raising Turkeys 11
, Epsom salts (1 tablespoonful per quart of water, before the
. poults 30 minutes)) may be used as a. mild laxative for the
i young poults. For mature birds 1 pound may be added to about
i 10 pounds of dry mixture of bran and shorts for 50 turkeys.
I Castor oil is the best purgative for turkeys. The proper
dose is 1 to 2 tablesponfuls for a mature bird; a tablespoonful
for poults the size of a Leghorn hen; and two to tive drops for
the baby turkeys. Place the bottle (cork removed) in real warm
I water to make the oil flow freely. A pa.per funnel may be
i placed in the turkey ’s mouth and the oil poured directly from
the bottle.
Crop bound may be helped by washing the coop out with
i hot water bottle syringe. It will require the insertion of about
afoot of rubber tubing down the gullet to reach the crop. For
a la1·ge turkey it may be necessary to inject as much as two
quarts of warm water. The crop should then be gently massaged
ixith the bird’s head down. Then immediately administer a
ealomel pill (% grain) and follow this with castor oil the next
day.
The best remedy for tapeworms is kamala. Kamala may be
purchased in capsules at the drug store. The standard dose
i is one gram (15 grains) to each mature turkey, and one-half
M) gram to a poult half grown. Nicotine sulphate capsules or
pulvules are best to eliminate round worms. In order for the
treatment to be effective against both tape worms and round
worms the two remedies should be used.
Fluid extract of ipecac administered thru the vent’”‘ appar-
cntly has given good 1·esults in treating poults which show signs
of indigestion or appear droopy. The standard dose is 8 drops in
V one tablespoonful of water for a baby poult, increasing up to 16
drops in 1% tablespoonfuls for a poult the size of a Leghorn hen.
BLACKHEAD**
Blaekhead may be much more easily recognized by the con-
dition ofthe liver than by the appearance of the head. In many
 
Sm;1g"§i]})all bulb syringe for this purpose may be purchased at any drug
.> n oi less.
meIE·;g1gsg¥:$ll€iX(I is CELUSEXI by L1, ]')I`OtOZO21!`l microorganism, Histomonas

 12 Kentucky Extension Circular N0. 217
cases of blackhead tl1e1·e is 110 change whatsoever in the ap- 4
pearance or color of the head. In other words, the dark color A
in the appearance of the head means nothing more than that
the bird is "oE feed/’ resulting in a slow movement of the blood .
in the head parts. This may or may not be the case when the ·
actual disease of blaekhead is present. The general symptoms of
the presence of the disease are the unthrifty appearance, ruffled
feathers, and drooped wings. A greenish yellow diarrhea fre-
quently accompanies the disease, but it is only a symptom and
not the disease itself. The only way to positively diagnose a ease
of blackhead is to open the young poult affected and examine
carefully the liver and the blind ceca. Blind ceca, or blind guts
as they are frequently called, are found at the very end of the in-
testinal tract just a short distance from the vent. I11 bad eases
the ceca are greatly enlarged and inflamed, usually containing a
` firm, bloody, cheesy material. The liver is usually enlarged and
has on its surface spots o1· areas which appear very much like
rotten spots on an apple. These 1nay va1·y in size from a pea to a
half dollar. The areas are firm and appear slightly sunken. lt
the liver is cut, it will be observed that these spots extend deeply
· into the tissue.
Vaccination l1as been attempted for blackhead, but it has not
proved a practical method of avoiding the disease. If one has
had a large mortality in past seasons a11d the poults become
affected with blackhead, it is advisable to put into practice the
recommendations give11 herein. Sanitary measures give more V
promise for the control of blackhead than any medicines, vac-
ci11es or tonies which are commonly used at the present time.
THE REAL DANGER  A
One of the greatest dangers in turkey raising is contam-
inated soil. The importance of raising young turkeys o11f1‘<’Fl1
ground away from the chickens cannot be overeinphasized. llant
farmers say that it is impossible for them to provide a special
1·earing ground for the young turkeys. In such cases they nut
then find it practically impossible to raise turkeys. There is 110
doubt that one may successfully raise turkeys and chickens to-

 Raising Turkeys 13
the ap- aether and perhaps do this for several years; but this is the
rk color Exception rather than the rule. Recent findings have shown
ran that T that the organism which causes blackhead lives over from season
he blood to season in the soil. Consequently, if the turkeys are raised on
then the ' old ground, the soil will in all probability be contaminated. A
atoms of large share of this danger may be avoided by raising the poults
2, ruttlcd on fresh ground each year. If, however, the young poults should
hea fre- actually become infected with the blackhead organism, the
tom and danger would be greatly minimized if the soil was free from the
seacase common intestinal parasites of chickens. Chickens have been
examine found to be carriers of blackhead and yet not show symptoms of
ind guts the disease.
iigziagz ·Recent experimental Endings have shown that the tiny in-
amiuga testmal worm known as the- cecal’“‘ worm, which is found so
wcdimd commonly. in chickens, also infests young turkeys. The cecal
ich mw worm by itself does not greatly harm the young poults. How-
pm to H ever, the young turkeys eat the, eggs of this worm and these eggs
lkml. H hatch out in the young poult’s intestines. It is believed that tlns _
d dceplv worm in some way injures the inner lining of the intestinal wall
` and thus enables the blackhead organism to enter the blood
vessels, and thus cause the dreaded blackhead disease. Careful
thasml trials have shown that it is quite possible to raise turkeys even
Om he when the flock is infected with blackhead, provided the poults
l l>e¤e¤¤ are kept entirely free from intestinal worms. This is in all
Clic?) the probability because the blackhead organism is in such cases un-
»l'€ m01`“ . e able to go from the digestive tract into the blood of the young
Heb li"` poult, and consequently is passed off in the droppings. The im-
mt Uma portance of a.voiding intestinal worms in young poults cannot
be over-emphasized. The surest method of controlling cecal
C worms is by rearing on clean ground which has not been used
Mmmm. for either chickens or turkeys the previous season. However,
OH fygg]1 WGH if the ground is uninfested, it may easily become i1ifeStC<.i
gdjtmly if chickens are allowed to run with the turkeys. This means
a special that if chicken hens are used to brood young poults, they should
hey may be kept conhncd to the brood coop, which in this case should
ere is no have a floor. This floor should be thoroly cleaned a.t least once
Ckcus mi W °TK\‘·¤i·ii1 is usually found in the caecn or "hlind guts" which are
.»lll0lllll(*S called the l`owl’s appendix.

 14 Kentucky Extension Circular N0. 217 _
a week and the soiled litter and droppings removed out of reach l
of the poults.
The conclusion should not be drawn that the cecal worm `
itself causes the disease (for it is in no way responsible for ,
blackhead). This worm merely opens up the path which permits ,
the blackhead organism to get from the intestinal tract into the
blood stream of the young poult. Once the organism is inthe
blood, there is rw imown way 2iO cure 0r cmrtrol the disease of
bl¢1.ckh.cad.
ARTIFICIAL BROODING
Turkeys can be raised in large broods of from 100 to 200, l
if artificial methods such as those recommended for chicks are C
used. (See cut on cover of circular.) A coal-burning colony
broode1· stove is to be preferred for artificial brooding. It should y
be placed in a brooder house such as the one 10 ft. x 10 tt.
V pictured in Extension Circular 157. The method of operating .
the stove is described in that Circular. “
If a brooder house is used, four yards should be constructed
around it. The brood of poults should be alternated in these
yards, being allowed in a yard ten days and then moved over to
` the next yard. Under this plan each yard would be used for
ten days and would then remain idle for thirty days before it
is used again. It may be more feasible to construct a teinporary
yard on one corner of the brooder house. On the 10th day the .
yard should be changed to another corner of the house. ln T
other words the yard is moved from one corner of the house to p
another every 10th day, until all four corne1·s have been used.
Care should be taken to make sure that the new yard does not
overlap on the old yard and thus allow the poults access to con-
taminated soil. A strip of 36-inch poultry netting 15 to 20 V
feet long will be very satisfactory for this temporary iuovahlé
yard, since it only cares for the poults until they are six weeks
of age. If permanent yards are desired, turkeys may be kept
confined within a 58—ineh fence. Some breeders have kept
mature turkeys confined within yards surrounded by a 32-inch Q
hog fence with three strands of barbed wire, stretched above the
top bar of the fence.

 Raising Turkeys 15
. COST OF FEEDING
of reach
I This plan of confinement may seem to some undesirable be-
al worm cause the turkeys must be fed. However, recent Hgures published
sible for by the Nebraska Experiment Station* show conclusively that
permits it is quite profitable to provide all the feed for turkeys and
into the I raise them in semi-confinement. The following table gives total
s in the feed consumed by a brood of ninety-eight turkeys, ninety-three
iscase OI of which were raised to maturity. The dry mash which was fed
consisted of three parts yellow corn, two parts shorts, one part
bran, and one part meat and bone meal, by weight. One per cent
I of salt was added to this mixture. The Nebraska results are
I to 200, given herewith:
ieks are
;· COIOHY FEED CONSUMPTlON—98 TURKEYS
tslioiikl  
X 10-ft. Week I Iggggggs I Sifgiffh I Dry Mask I Skim Milk
peratmg
SIFUCIEII ist I 25 I .25 lb. I 6.8 lb. I 11 gal.
in thm 2nd I 30 I 1.6 lb. I 16.2 lb. I 8 gal.
_ ' Jrd I 4 I 1.9 lb. I 30 lb. 11% gal.
OW I0 4m I I 2.0 1b. I 41.2 lb. 11% gal.
189d fol 5th to Sth I I 11.0 lb. I 330 lb. I 35% gal.
»efo1·eit Sth to 12th I I 560 lb. 43%. gal.
UPON.)- · 13th to 16th I I I 706 lb. I 38 gal.
dm, IIN 17th to 20th I I 1040 lb. 155 gal.
wei In - 2lst to 24th I I 401* lb. I 564 lb. I 7 gal.
iouse It I I   I I
2n usetl. Total I I417% lbs. I 3294.2 lbs. I 321 gal.
loes not _ I I I I
IO (10]]. * Yellow shell 
5 to 20 92 surviving turkeys weighed 1143 lbs. which meant an i11vest·
moyalyle mgm of 3% lbs. of feed (grain and mash) and Mr gal. of milk per
X Wccks pound of turkey.
· >
if   These figures show that the average turkey consumes Very
32-imh lllllell less than farmers generally suppose. Wllcil it is eO1lSiCl€1‘e