CHAPTER X. 



FATTENING AND MARKETING FEATHERS. 



After the first of October, especially if frosts have 

 lessened the supply of insects and other food which they 

 have gathered themselves, begin issuing extra rations to 

 your turkeys. This is to keep them in good growing con- 

 dition until the fattening begins, which should be three 

 or four weeks before Thanksgiving. Tor breakfast, feed 

 boiled potatoes, carrots, sweet apples, etc., mixed with 

 bran and corn meal, seasoned with black pepper once or 

 twice a week, and twice a week add pulverized charcoal 

 to the food. At night give whole grain. Keep pure watei 

 or milk in convenient vessels for drink. 



Three weeks before Thanksgiving, separate from th 

 rest of the flock all that you design for the Thanksgiving 

 market. This separation is necessary, because it is not 

 desirable to fatten those which are to be kept over for 

 breeding stock, or the late-hatched ones that are not yet 

 large enough for market. Feeding the whole flock extra 

 rations of fattening food is not only a waste of food, but 

 works injury to all which are not soon to be killed. 



But do not confine the flock to be fattened in small 

 pens; remember, the nature of the birds requires liberty; 

 rather confine those which you wish to keep over. Turkeys 

 having full liberty will devour much food and take on fat 

 rapidly. Fattening turkeys will not wander so much, as 

 after being put on full feed they will be more content to 

 remain nearer home. 



Give the fattening turkeys all they can eat four times 

 a day, from the time when you commence full feeding 

 until twenty-four hours before slaughtering time. 



73 



