TURKEY RAISING 



for the show it must be remembered that they are very 

 loose-feathered birds and that it is very easy to pull out 

 feathers. For this reason they should be handled as little 

 as possible when getting them in condition. 



It is very desirable to coop the birds to some extent 

 before they are sent to the show. This may be accom- 

 plished by cooping them for several hours each day in 

 coops of the same size as will be found in the show for a 

 week or two before the show. It is best not to put them in 

 the coops and keep them there continuously for any great 

 length of time as they are almost sure to go off feed and 

 go down in condition with such treatment. The coop in 

 which they are confined for training should have a solid 

 top or should have some covering laid over its top. If 

 the top is of wire the birds will constantly jump up in an 

 effort to get out and will worry and work until they injure 

 their feathers. Where the top is covered or solid they 

 will not make this effort and will more quickly become 

 used to being cooped. About the only other treatment 

 which the birds require is to see that their legs, feet and 

 head are in a good clean condition. To accomplish this 

 it is best to have one person hold the bird while another 

 washes these parts. In the case of dark-legged birds such 

 as Bronze turkeys, the leg color can be helped by rubbing 

 with sweet oil or some similar substance. Vaseline can 

 be used in place of the oil, but in this case it is particularly 

 important that it be well rubbed in with a cloth so that it 

 does not leave the legs sticky and in condition to gather 

 the dirt. Scaly leg rarely occurs in turkeys, in fact prac- 



34 



