PO UL TR r- CRAFT. 231 



340. Preparing for Market and Selling. The information given in 

 Chapter XII., in regard to marketing poultry, (see ^^ 269 271, 278 289), 

 applies generally to turkeys. There are, however, a few points deserving 

 special mention. 



The turkey grower ought always to reserve as many of his best devel- 

 oped birds as he needs to replace breeding stock, or for his trade in breed- 

 ing stock, if he carries on that trade. There is often a strong temptation 

 to market the best birds when prices are best, and trust to the later birds 

 developing in time to be sold or used as breeders. This is bad policy, and has 

 doubtless done more than any other one thing to deteriorate flocks of turkeys. 



It is very important to prevent the turkeys being frightened or bruised when 

 caught for killing. A bruised carcass does not bring the price a perfect one 

 does. The method of catching birds that have not been sheltered is thus 

 described by Cushman : 



" The usual plan is to get the birds into a barn or carriage shed, and shut them in. In 

 order to do this, they are fed for a long time in front of, or just within the place where 

 they 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. 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. * * * 

 To overcome this drawback, certain raisers have improved 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 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 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." 



341 . Selling Exhibition and Breeding Stock. Preparing for Exhi- 

 bition. A breeder of fine turkeys who does not also breed other fine poul- 

 try, is likely to find it hard to sell them profitably, except what a local trade 

 will take. Ordinarily the trade will not be large enough, or the prices 

 obtained high enough to warrant advertising for turkeys exclusively. 



With many exhibitors preparation for exhibition consists simply in taking 

 the bird from the range to the exhibition coop. If the birds are to show 

 themselves to advantage, though, they should be accustomed to the coop and 

 to being handled and inspected before going to the show room. 



342. Diseases of Turkeys. Doctoring sick turkeys is mostly unprofit- 

 able business. It does not pay to attempt it except under conditions as stated 



