474 



THE GARDEN AND FIELD. 



enough to keep the strain going, and can 

 claim to have fixed the type, charac- 

 ter, and colouring of a very charming 

 variety of the handsome Wyandotte 

 family, and has shown us birds which 

 in type and colour are certainly superior 

 to some imported birds which were sent 

 over to Mr. H. P. Marshall some years 

 ago. Whilst congratulating Mr. Smith 

 on his success, one is almost tempted 

 to regret that the same amount of care- 

 ful, painstaking work should not have 

 been put into a breed which would have 

 added a monetary reward to the less 

 practical results. A strain of Leghorns 

 with the same amount of toil behind 

 them, would, we think, have been likely 

 candidates for competition champion- 

 ships. Speaking of these birds with a 

 friend the other day, he said, "I wonder 

 no one takes up the breed. I daresay 

 Smith would sell out." Why not do it 

 yourself? we naturally suggested. "Not 

 I,'' was the reply, "Leghorns are good 

 enough for me." So it is. Australians 

 are not only conservative in poultry, but 

 they have become intensely practical. 

 Lots of people admire BufT Laced Wyan- 

 dottes, but we have never heard any- 

 body express a violent desire to buy 

 them (we do not know that they are 

 for sale), for it is undoubtedly true that 

 the hen has a harder job in Australia 

 than in England or America. There she 

 can win on her feathers, here she has to 

 put up figures, and they have to be 

 mighty big ones, unless she wants to get 

 lost in the crowd. 



March, 1914 



Fattening Turkeys. 



The demand for turkeys has increased 

 very much during the past few years, 

 and prices have been on the incline, 

 with the result that one of the most 

 lucrative branches of the poultry indus- 

 try is the rearing and fattening of tur- 

 keys. It is not proposed here to dwell 

 upon the most suitable breeds, the best 

 methods of maintaining the breeding 

 stock, or the hatching and rearing of 

 the chickens, but one should remember 

 how vastly important is size in deter- 

 mining the value of a bird. There is a 

 big demand nowadays for large-sized 

 birds, and the larger they are the more 

 money can proportionately be obtained 

 for them. Thus it will be at once seen 

 how important it is to have large-framed 

 birds, and these can only be produced 

 by using massive stock. 



This call for size is to be deplored, 

 because the large birds are naturally 

 coarse, and do not possess the same fine 

 flavour or texture as the smaller ones. 

 If anyone wishes to enjoy a bird at its 



best, a young turkey hen should be pro- 

 cured, just before she commences to lay, 

 about ten to fifteen pounds in weight. 

 However, whilst these high prices can 

 be obtained for the large birds it pays 

 to breed them so, and all energies should 

 be exerted in this direction. 



During the summer and early autumn 

 the turkeys should be given as much 

 freedom as possible. During this time 

 very little extra food need be given to 

 the birds, as upon good land they are 

 able to almost maintain themselves. 

 There is no better form of food than 

 that termed the "natural," being com- 

 posed of worms, grubs, insects, seeds, 

 and the like. Upon such a diet the 

 birds thrive remarkably well, building 

 up large, strong frames rather than flesh. 



When fattening commences the birds 

 should be fed liberally, receiving two 

 good meals a day. First thing in the 

 morning a feed of mash should be sup- 

 plied. In the afternoon, when they have 

 returned from their wanderings, a small 

 feed of grain should be provided, wheat 

 and oats being very suitable. This pro- 

 cess continues for about a fortnight, 

 when fattening proper commences, when 

 the birds should be altogether confined, 

 as during this period the desire is to add 

 flesh- on to the carcase, and not to in- 

 crease the frame. They do not grow at 

 all during this time, and thus all ener- 

 gies must aim at getting them as well 

 forward as early as possible. The tur- 

 keys should be housed in a large, roomy 

 shed, in which they remain the whole 

 time, so that light and ventilation are 

 matters requiring careful attention. It 

 is essential that the shed or building used 

 for the purpose shall be absolutely dry, 

 as dampness is fatal to success in either * 

 the rearing or the fattening of turkeys. 

 It is advantageous to use an open- 

 fronted shed, enclosed with wire net- 

 ting. This ensures the birds being kept 

 comfortable, and yet at the same time 

 allows them an abundance of fresh air 

 so essential in successful fattening. The 

 birds must not be over-crowded, and 

 about fifteen feet of floor space should 

 be allowed per bird. Perches should be 



provided — low ones are best, about thirty 

 inches from the ground — and the floor 

 beneath covered with some kind of litter. 



Sebright Bantam. 



The Sebright is a very old, but popu- 

 lar, variety of the Bantam tribe, and 

 takes its name from the originator, Sir 

 John Sebright, who commenced to 

 fashion the variety in the year 1800. 

 Two colours are bred, the Silver and 

 the Golden, and although the former is 

 without a doubt the most popular of 

 the two at the^ present time, the latter 

 can account for a large following of ad- 

 mirers, being a most striking example 

 of what can be done in a variety by 

 special care and management. In my 

 opinion, says Mr. W. Powell Owen, one 

 of the best judges of the breed, every 

 feature of the variety is an art. The 

 Golden Sebright, with its lovely golden 

 bay or chestnut ground colour, and every 

 feather laced or margined with black 

 edging, lustrous beetle green, presents a 

 beautiful picture, and is seen to great 

 advantage on the show bench. At this 

 juncture it would be befitting to say that 

 the characteristics of the Golds and Sil- 

 vers are exactly identical, except in the 

 case of the groimd colour, which is 

 white or silvery-white in the latter, as 

 opposed to golden in the former. The 

 tail feathering in Sebright cockerels is 

 quite unique, as they have no sickles or 

 side hangers, being what is termed "hen- 

 feathered." The Golds should be short 

 in thighs and legs, compact in shape, 

 with a neat well worked rose comb, well 

 fitted on the head, broad in front, and 

 tapering oft' to a fine leader. A comb 

 that is ugly or coarse, and one that 

 stands away from the head is most un- 

 desirable. The bird should possess a 

 medium lengthend, but well arched, neck, 

 back somewhat short, and a medium tail, 

 carried well up. Twenty odd years ago 

 a bird with a red face, comb and wattles, 

 was a curiosity, only those with "gipsy" 

 faces, purple coloured comb, wattles and 

 ear lobes (pale blue centres) being then 



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