TURKEYS— THEIR CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



19 



emphasize the advisability of close adherence to the methods 

 that have proved successful and the value of a careful study 

 of the principles involved. 



Some years ago we managed to secure at heavy expense 

 a flock of genuine wild turkeys, which, although purchased 

 for the purpose of crossing with our Bronze to make a better 

 foraging market bird, have proved to be of inestimable value 

 for infusing new vigor into run-down flocks, and we sell 

 every year a large number of toms for this purpose. The 

 half-wild make a market fowl par excellence; they are rapid 

 growers, carrying a considerable amount of fine-grained 

 meat, and support themselves almost entirely throughout the 

 year by foraging. When crossed on the pure Bronze as a 

 strengthening agent, reducing the wild blood to one-fourth, 

 the increased stamina is the only apparent effect. 



SELECTING BREEDING STOCK. 



The selection of breeding stock with us begins as soon 

 as the young turks are given their first food in the fall, say 

 the first of October, when any bird that gives particular evi- 

 dence of lusty good health and sturdy growth becomes an 

 object of especial interest to be carefully watched as it 

 matures and finally selected for use if it has constantly 

 maintained its robust health; but it is discarded if the 

 slightest evidence of weakness has been detected. 



The final selection is made usually in January wnen the 

 stock is at its best. We have found that one male to every 

 twelve females is about the right proportion, and we advise 

 that at least two males be allowed to run in the same flock 

 in view of the fact that occasionally a hen will refuse to 

 mate with a certain torn, but can readily agree with another, 

 and also to safeguard against loss should one of the males 

 be, or at any time become, wholly or partially impotent. 

 When one recollects that the female is served by the male 

 only once in a season, the wisdom of this plan is obvious. 

 But care must be taken to use toms that have been accus- 

 tomed to each other's society and that agree, else it will be 

 necessary to confine one each day while the other runs with 

 the hens, changing them every night. 



We endeavor to get our breeders in a condition of me- 

 dium flesh, as a fat bird never gives satisfactory results. 

 For this purpose we consider oats to be the best food, and it 

 is fed exclusively so long as food is required during the 

 breeding season. 



When we began with turkeys we did all manner of 

 things supposed to contribute to their welfare, but we have 

 gradually given up trying to do what they are better able to 

 do themselves, until now we leave them pretty much to their 

 own devices and find the results far more gratifying. 



THE TURKEY AND HER POULTS. 



Occasionally it happens that two or three hens are found 

 laying in the same nest, a proceeding which is usually dis- 

 covered by the slightly different color of the eggs. In this 

 event we remove all eggs as laid, substituting a couple of 

 china eggs or duck eggs to guard against a change of nest. 

 When one hen begins to sit we give her a full quota (fifteen 

 to eighteen eggs) and confine the other hens for a few days 

 after which they will begin laying again in another nest. If, 

 however, the discovery is made after incubation has begun, 

 we prefer to let them sit together unless we can ascertain 

 unobserved that there is but one sitting of eggs. And we 

 will here state that we always try to make our visits at a 

 time when the hen is absent, otherwise she may become wor- 

 ried and give up her nest. When the hatch is complete, we 

 provide a little nourishment for the young turks in the form 

 of stale tread moistened in milk; this will assist them to 

 gain strength until they are well on their feet, after which 



time they get their food from the earth and air. Occasion- 

 ally we find one weaker than the others, by reason of slow- 

 ness in hatching, which is unable to leave the nest with its 

 mates; such a one we care for until it is strong enough to 

 go with the hen. After they are all able to hustle about, we 

 put poults and hen out in the low bush with which the 

 Island is plentifully supplied, and pay no further attention 

 to them until well into the autumn, when we begin to get 

 them together for the fall feeding. 



As they grow and develop through the late summer and 

 early fall they gradually form into several large flocks which 

 wander about together under the guidance of the old toms, 

 each flock having its own roosting place, generally at least 

 a mile from that of any other. In Oeto'ber they are found to 

 be in excellent condition and require but little feeding to' fit 

 them for the Thanksgiving market. At this time they are 

 very suspicious of any one who tries to approach them, but 

 soon become reconciled to the presence of the feeder and will 

 surge around him with such force as to endanger his foot- 

 ing. Corn is the only food given at this season and as kill- 

 ing time approaches we feed them all they will eat. 



The greater part of the market stock is devoted to the 

 Thanksgiving trade and is shipped to private families all 

 over the country; but there is always a certain number that 

 are not fit at that time and which are reserved for the 

 Christmas season. By furnishing each year a very fancy 

 grade we find ready sale for all we have to dispose of for 

 table use at a considerable advance upon the highest market 

 quotation. These are carefully picked and drawn, the heads, 

 shanks and last joint of wing being removed, and are then 

 packed in clean boxes, in which they are shipped direct to 

 the residence of the consumer. 



December usually ushers in the advance orders for 

 breeding and exhibition birds, in which we always do a large N 

 and satisfactory 'business. Having so large a number to 

 select from (all of which are selected specimens from the 

 hundreds that we raise), we find little difficulty in filling the 

 most exacting order, and it is seldom that we receive a com- 

 plaint. 



Although our business in turkey eggs for hatching was 

 very satisfactory, we decided to discontinue their sale three 

 years ago and have had no cause to regret our decision. We 

 find it far more profitable to set every egg ourselves and sell 

 the stock instead. In shipping the birds we know that the 

 purchaser will get full value for his money, while in selling 

 eggs too much depends upon various conditions. 



PREPARING FOR EXHIBITION. 



Our method of preparing turkeys for the show room is 

 simple indeed. It consists wholly in taming the bird and 

 getting it accustomed to being handled. Our turkeys com- 

 ing from a range of over five thousand acres are as fit as only 

 a free, wild life can make them, full of rich, red blood, which 

 sustains their vigor and spirits through the longest trip and 

 the tedious, weakening conflnment of the exhibition hall. 

 They have a hard, smooth and wonderfully brilliant plumage 

 together with that robust development and noble carriage 

 that is never found in a turkey raised in confinement. 



We select the birds that we are going to show about two 

 weeks in advance of the time when they are to be exhibited, 

 and always take up more than we expect to show to insure 

 having our full entry in case one or more of the birds be- 

 comes damaged in plumage or otherwise. These are han- 

 dled with the utmost care, as it is very easy for a struggling 

 bird to break a number of wing flights or to strip feathers 

 from its thigh, where a careless handler is almost sure to 

 get his grip. 



