476 Journal op the Department op Agriculture. 



spell of dry weather they should be put out to roost in the open and 

 allowed to remain out whatever the weather may be. As with the 

 breeding stock the perches must not be more than three or four feet 

 hif?h, and at least three inches wide. 



If flocks of young- turkeys are inclined to hang about the house, 

 it is advisable to drive them afield every morning in ordel- that they 

 get as much insect life as possible; they will quickly learn to go into 

 the lands and forage for themselves. Young turkeys intended for the 

 market in South Africa at Christmas time should not be too closely 

 penned up to be fattened, in fact where the range is good and insect 

 life plentiful it is unnecessary. Increase the feed and add milk to 

 the mash ; Sussex ground oats are a valuable addition to the latter and 

 tend to whiten the flesh. 



Killing and Plucking. 



Before killing, turkeys should be kept without food for eighteen 

 to twenty-four hours and without water for eight; if they are killed 

 with full crops the skin quickly becomes discoloured. To kill quickly 

 it is advisable to hang .the turkey by the legs to a strong hook in the 

 wall or to a beam, so that the head is at a convenient height, the 

 wings should be locked behind the back, open the turkey's mouth 

 with a sharp narrow-bladed knife, cut the jugular vein on each side 

 of the throat, then push the point of the knife up the roof of the 

 mouth into the brain, slightly turning the knife before withdrawing 

 it. Commence to pluck immediately before the body gets cold ; do 

 not remove the feathers by dipping the body into hot water, it may 

 be quicker, but it spoils the look of the carcass and hardens the flesh. 

 For home consumption the bird may be killed by dislocating the neck, 

 but for market or export this gives it an unsightly appearance as the 

 neck is swollen with congealed blood. 



Diseases. 



Turkeys are subject to most of the ailments and diseases which 

 attack fowls, but are seldom anything but hardy after they are six 

 months old. The following are most commonly met with in rearing 

 poults. 



Colds. — Young turkeys, from two to four months old, are rather 

 subject to colds ; it seldom affects those that are big enough to roost 

 in the open, but poults housed in unsuitable quarters. The first 

 symptoms are a swelling on one or both sides of the head, watery 

 eyes and nostrils. First give a small dose of epsom salts, say, one 

 teaspoonful in a tablespoonful of warm water. To reduce the swelling, 

 bathe the head daily in warm water with a little boracic acid added. 

 Give daily, until better, three or four drops of chlorodyne in a tea- 

 spoonful of sweet oil and add some chopped onion to the morning mash. 



Roup. — In cases of roup the above-mentioned symptoms are often 

 present and, in addition, an offensive smelling discharge from the 

 nostrils. Treat as in colds, but wash the head, eyes, mouth, and 

 nosti'ils daily with a solution of sulphate of copper. To make a suit- 

 able solution, dissolve 1 oz. of sulphate of copper in 10 oz. of rain or 



