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TURKEYS— THEIR CARE AND MANAGEMENT. 



win a prize, your stock is poor. You will learn what it takes 

 to make a prize bird and. what constitutes a good breeding 

 bird. Attend a poultry show or two each year if it is pos- 

 sible for you to do go. 



On large farms it is not necessary to begin heavy 

 feeding until the weather begin? to get cool. But where 

 one has limited room they must be fed the year round. Do 

 not select show birds until they are through molting, if old 

 birds are exhibited. A breeder of thoroughbred turkeys, 

 for sale as fancy stock, must feed his entire flock with an 

 aim to getting them in condition for winter shows either 

 in his own hands or in the hands of his cuseomers. 



Generally cocks may be depended on molting true to the 

 markings of the cockerel, but hens often are not as good 

 in markings as they were as pullets. Still, I think turkeys 

 are more regular in their markings after molting than 

 chickens. 



If a turkey is in healthy condition the feathers will be 

 glossy, if not, they will not be. 



I think that to keep turkeys healthy and gentle and 

 well fed is about all the preparation turkeys need. It will 

 not do to put them in confinement longer than ten days, 

 &nd then it will not do to have them in a strange place, 

 as they will not eat. Give them all the corn, grit and lime 

 they will eat. with plenty of grass and water, and they will 

 fatten. 



How do I manage to feed my turkeys to get them in 

 weight for the shows and not get the entire flock too fat? I 

 keep only a few turkeys on my home place at one time, not 

 more than fifty to seventy-five in winter and only my breed- 

 ing stock in summer. As I am continually shipping them I 

 select the best in size and that leaves the smaller ones a 

 better chance to grow. I cannot separate those intended for 

 the show room from the others, so I feed all alike and take 

 the heaviest to the show, no matter if they are not so well 

 marked as the others, for it is the heavy turkey which wins 

 in the show room. In fact, I have only a few times taken 

 my best marked turkeys to a show. 



I have had very few persons come to my yards who 

 knew how. to catch a turkey or chicken. I can pick my 

 turkeys or chickens up anywhere in the yard with the as- 

 sistance of one whom I have trained. In the first place I 

 am very gentle with my fowls. I talk to them when I feed 

 them. You may wonder what I say. Well, I find they are 

 like the human race, susceptible to flattery, if flattery it may 

 be called; I do not intend it as such, for I mean every word 

 of it. I call them pretty things — tell them they are the 

 prettiest turkeys anywhere around — talk to them about go- 

 ing to the shows, and tell them how they must behave to 

 appear well; in fact, I am never at a loss for something to 

 say to my fowls. When I want to catch one I prefer to go 

 out in the yard, look the flock over while they are out, se- 

 lect the one 1 want, call my assistant,- and point out the 

 turkey. Then I begin to feed, and usually I can catch the 

 one I desire while they are eating. Never rush into the flock 

 or shoo a turkey. Very quietly step up behind it and catch 

 it by the legs. Be sure to take hold of both legs as you 

 catch one, then you can easily pick the bird up and it will 

 not flap its wings and hurt itself. If there are several to 

 catch and you do not wish to put them in different coops 

 it is better to catch all you need before cooping any. A 

 child can hold a forty pound torn if he knows how. Just 

 lay him flat on his side or breast and hold his legs close to 

 the thighs and he will not attempt to get away. I have 

 often released one after holding it in this manner, and it 

 would lie still for one or two minutes before getting up. 



HACKING ECCS FOR SHIPPING. 



It may sound egotistical, but I believe I can pack eggs 

 that will go around the globe without breaking, that is, 

 with reasonable handling; yet last year the only chick eggs 

 reported broken did not go two hundred miles, and had they 

 not been sent to a relative as a present I presume I should 

 have heard about them with no uncertain sound. They evi- 

 dently had been pitched off the car as baggage and crushed 

 under some heavy body. 



First line the basket with paper, then put in an inch of 

 hay chaff in bottom if it is a large basket and many eggs 

 are to go in; if it is only a peck basket, three- fourths or a 

 half of an inch will be sufficient, but it must have a soft 

 padding at bottom. Reline with a good heavy paper. Wrap 

 each egg with paper, but do not wrap too tight; use plenty 

 cf paper and do it nicely. I always pack with the small end 

 down, because the white is in the small end and the yolk 

 will not break if allowed to float upon it, while if the large 

 end is down there is nothing to prevent the yolk breaking 

 from the jar of the travel. Of course if the yolk is broken 

 tli'? egg cannot hatch. 



DISEASES OF TURKEYS— CANKER. 



I receive a great many questions as to what tj do for 

 sick poults. I am a poor doctor for little turkeys. I really 

 believe that where the parent stock is not related or inbred 

 that it is poor management where there are sick poults. 



Canker is more prevalent than many persons suppose, 

 and while often a fowl may die before it is discovered, the 

 rule is it becomes droopy and refuses to eat. The discharges 

 become yellowish green, sometimes looking like the yellow 

 cf an egg. The canker extends often to the throat and fre- 

 quently forms on the tongue at the opening of the wind pipe 

 and stops the air passages. 



To cure canker I have found Mustang Liniment better 

 than anything else I have ever used. If this cannot be ob- 

 tained, wash in a strong copperas water and grease with 

 carbolized vaseline, in which put a few drops of tincture of 

 iodine. This is an effectual cure, but it takes longer treat- 

 ment and is more trouble. But the fowl, turkey or chicken 

 will need a tonic to correct the digestion and tone the sys- 

 tem. I give a liver pill, any that I would use for a person. 

 Give this at night and a two-grain quinine capsule in the 

 morning. A little copperas and extract of logwood in the 

 drinking water usually cure the trouble. Use whatever 

 poultry tonic or cholera cure you may deem best mixed 

 in food. Make into long rolls and put down the throat, 

 then give the water from a bottle. I also put grit in food, 

 Feed only once a day while the food must be given, but 

 when the turkey can pick food, give twice a day and sepa- 

 rate from other fowls. If I use Mustang Liniment I put 

 a few drops down the throat, for I think often the canker 

 extends through the system. 



If I am sure there is no canker I omit the treatment 

 for that and give the other treatment. Do not let the fowl 

 have anything to eat or drink which is not medicated until 

 you know it is well. The quinine capsule may be given 

 every morning for a week, the liver pill every other day un- 

 til three are given. 



I have never lost a turkey under the foregoing treat- 

 ment when I have been able to give it regularly. And sev- 

 eral customers have reported that under my directions they 

 have saved their turkeys. 



GAPES. 



To prevent the disease I use a little turpentine in the 

 drinking water. A dash of flowers of sulphur in the food once 

 a week will be beneficial until they are well feathered. Cop- 

 peras in the drinking water and onions in the food will gen- 



