POULTRY 



673 



range, and when found were looking 

 much better than those that were fed 

 regularly at home. The birds do better 

 if allowed range on high, dry ground 

 than on low ground. After the poults 

 are a week or 10 days old, they may be 

 allowed to range with their mother, but 

 should not be let out of the pen until 

 after the dew is off. When showers 

 come up they should be gotten under 

 shelter, otherwise a good many will be 

 lost. At this time three feedings a day 

 will be sufficient, and after July 15, 

 once a day will suffice. 



While the little turkeys are cooped, 

 they should be frequently removed to 

 dry, fresh ground. Food should be given 

 them on clean boards and they should 

 have clean water to drink at all times, 

 as well as an abundance of gravel, sand 

 and broken charcoal. Cushman states 

 that if the turkeys become chilled from 

 rain, or otherwise, black or red pepper, 

 or ginger, in the food or drinking water, 

 will aid them in overcoming it and tend 

 to prevent bowel trouble in both young 

 and old turkeys. 



In hot weather shade must be pro- 

 vided. Sloppy foods for the young birds 

 must be avoided. After the third or 

 fourth day, cooked lean meat of any 

 kind may form 10 per cent of the ra- 

 tion with advantage. Where the poults 

 have been hatched in incubators, es- 

 pecial care is necessary in teaching them 

 to eat, since they look up for their food 

 instead of on the ground, and until they 

 are taught they should be fed individ- 

 ually from the hand, placing the food 

 between the thumb and finger and hold- 

 ing it to the beak of the bird. 



Those who secure the best results in 

 producing fine turkeys for Thanksgiving 

 are the ones who allow them plenty of 

 range during feeding. Even during the 

 finishing period, it is not advisable to 

 confine them, but rather feed them three 

 times daily plenty of grain, beginning 

 the first week in November. White flint 

 corn is considered especially desirable by 

 Rhode Island turkey raisers, as it is be- 

 lieved that they fatten more readily on 

 it and produce flesh of superior quality. 

 New corn should be avoided as it is be- 

 lieved to produce bowel trouble. Some 

 growers mix the two with good results. 



Marketing—Turkeys for market 

 should be fasted from 12 to 24 hours be- 

 fore killing. It is customary in this 

 country in killing, to suspend the birds 



by the shanks and kill by cutting across 

 the roof of the mouth with a sharp 

 knife, penetrating the brain. Dry pick- 

 ing is usually preferred and this should 

 be begun as soon as the bird is killed. 

 Where the birds are scalded the method 

 given under chickens should be followed. 

 In cold weather, the birds can be sent to 

 market without packing in ice. It is 

 usual to pack them in boxes or barrels 

 lined with clean white paper and packed 

 so closely that they will not slip about in 

 transit. In warmer weather, ice must 

 be used, in which case, a layer of broken 

 ice is first placed on the bottom, fol- 



Fig. 428 — TURKEY DRESSED FOR MARKET 



lowed by a layer of poultry and then of 

 ice alternately, until the barrel is full, 

 after which the top layer of ice is cov- 

 ered over with burlap and the package 

 marked for shipping. 



Feathers — When a large number of 

 birds are killed there may be some profit 

 in saving the feathers. The tail and 

 wing feathers are largely used in making 

 feather dusters, while the quills from 

 the first joint in the wing are used in 

 the manufacture of featherbone, a sub- 

 stitute for whalebone for dressmaking, 

 and other purposes. The choicer body 



