BROODING AND REARING YOUNG STOCK 



color. This marking is similar to that of chicks from 

 partridge matings. Newly hatched black turkey poults 

 are only partially black, the entire breast being white. 

 Soon after hatching, the wing feathers begin to develop 

 and at two weeks old these are long enough to extend 

 back of the rump when folded and they cover the back, 

 sides and rump. At about 10 days old feathers begin 

 to appear at the point where the wings join the body, 

 and this feathering gradually extends back to the main 

 wing feathers in about a week. In about three weeks 

 the tail feathers begin to appear and should be about 

 an inch long at the end of the first month. At this 

 time the poult is feathered only on the wings and tail, but 

 on account of the wing feathering covering the back, the 

 poult appears to be feathered from the shoulders to the 

 tail. Occasional poults show feathers starting down the 

 middle of the back between the shoulders and down each 

 side of the breast from the neck, at one month of age. 

 Frequently, especially where poults are not making good 

 growth, the wing feathers seem to be unusually long as in 

 the case of chicks under similar circumstances, so that they 

 may touch or nearly touch the ground. This is probably 

 not due to an undue growth of wing feathers but to a poor 

 growth of body. At any rate such a condition gives the 

 poults a weak, sickly, discouraged appearance. 



Some turkey raisers feel that it is a benefit to clip off 

 these wing feathers and that by so doing less of the 

 strength of the poult goes into the growth of the feathers. 

 It is a question whether there is any advantage in such a 



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