FATTENING AND MARKETING FEATHERS. 75 



are to be caught. Later, the feed is placed within the 

 building, and they become so familiar with it that they 

 are unsuspicious when within. The feeder takes pains not 

 to appear to notice or watch them, and moves about very 

 slowly and quietly. When they are to be caught, the 

 doors of the building are suddenly closed, or a covered 

 yard of wire netting is built in front of the building 

 and closed when all are in. Usually when they find 

 they are confined, they become frightened, and fly back 

 and forth, or huddle up in corners, and sometimes 

 many are smothered beneath the pile of frightened 

 birds. In flying back and forth against the netting, 

 their wings become bruised, and their appearance when 

 dressed is injured. 



To overcome this drawback, certain raisers have im- 

 proved the usual makeshift catching place by building a 

 long, low, dark pen back of the barn or shed. This pen 

 extends alongside of the building, and is at right angles 

 with the entrance to it, and at the extreme end is about 

 two feet high. Up to the time of their being caught, the 

 end is left open and the birds frequently find their way 

 through it. When closely approached from the front, 

 when feeding in the building, they rely upon this means 

 of escape and are not frightened. When they are to be 

 caught, only what the pen will comfortably take, are driven 

 in. They do not discover that the end is closed until it is 

 too late to try to turn back. The turkeys that are not 

 to be caught are first driven away, otherwise they may be 

 alarmed and become unmanageable. No turkey that is thus 

 caught and has learned the mysteries of the trap, is ever 

 allowed to escape, or its suspicions would be communicated 

 to the others. When shut in this pen they are quiet, 

 and when a man goes to catch them there is no struggle ; 

 he simply reaches out and takes them by the legs. The 

 pen is too dark and narrow for them to fly, and too low 

 for them to crowd one upon another. 



