Evening Republican, Volume 21, Number 243, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 16 October 1918 — FATTEN TURKEYS FOR THE MARKET [ARTICLE]

FATTEN TURKEYS FOR THE MARKET

Finish Fowls When Demand Is Keen and Price Correspondingly Attractive. EXCELLENT PLAN OUTLINED ... ' ■ > .i i / New Com Can'Safely Be Fed If Fowls Are Gradually'Accustomed to It— Birds Always Make Best’Gains on Free Range. The true test of expert turkey raising is to be able to market a large percentage of the annual crop in the pink of market finish at a time when the demand is keen and the price correspondingly attractive. In fattening turkeys for the market an excellent plan is-to begin early in October to feed night and morning, only feeding enough at a time so that the birds go away still feeling a little hungry, and gradually increasing the quantity until they are given all they will clean up three times a day during the week before marketing. By the latter feeding is meant that they are fed until they leave the feed and walk away. Some turkey raisers feed oats during the first part of the fattening season, gradually changing to corn as the weather becomes cooler. Previous to the war, wheat was used in the same jnanner as oats. The majqrity, however, begin feeding heavily on com about November 1, and since turkeys are not accustomed to such heavy feeding, scours often result, especially if new com is used. New corn can be fed safely if the turkeys are gradually accustomed to it by feeding lightly at first and more heavily afterward. Confining turkeys during the fattening season to prevent their using so much energy in ranging has been tried to some extent, but with very little success. Those confined to a pen eat heartily for two or three days, but after this they lose their appetite and begin to lose flesh rapidly. On allowing them'free range again, they pick up rapidly and are soon eating as heartily, as ever. The better method is to allow them free range, as it keeps them in good, healthy condition, and they are always eager to be fed. Nuts From the Range.

Nuts of various kinds are a natural fattening feed picked up by the turkeys on the range. Of these beechnuts, chestnuts, pecans and acorns are the most commonly found by them. Many turkey growers in Texas depend solely upon acorns for fattening their turkeys, and when these nuts are plentiful the birds are marketed In, fairly good condition. The marketing season for turkeys Is very short, running from the middle of November to the latter part of December. Most turkey raisers sen their birds alive to poultry dealers, who either dress them or ship them alite to city dealers. Farmers near the city markets, and particularly those In the middle. Atlantic and New England states, often dress the turkeys and either sell them direct to the consumer or to city dealers. In some sections shortly before Thanksgiving there Is held what Is known as turkey day. On the day before the event every turkey grower in the neighborhood kills and dresses his turkeys and the following morning brings them Into town, where they are bld on and purchased by whatever buyers choose to be there, the birds going to the highest, bidder. In sections in which turkeys are grown In large numbers, as in Texas, dressing plants have been 'built by poultry- dealers, who buy the birds alive and dress them for the various city markets. In such cases practically all the turkey raisers sell to these dealers, who often send buyers out Into the country to gather up a drove of several hundred birds by stopping at each farm as they pass, weighing

whatever turkeys the farmer may have to sell, and adding them to those already collected. Six or eight men can drive a flock of 1,000 turkeys 10 to 12 miles a day. As soon as possible after the turkeys are received at the dressing plant they are killed, dry-picked, cooled and packed in barrels or boxes for shipment Kilting and Dressing. In killing and dressing turkeys oh the farm they should first be deprived of feed for 24 hours, but given plenty of fresh, clean water in order to clean the crop and intestines of all feed. When ready to kill, the bird should be hung up by the feet; holding the bird | in one hand a sharp, narrow-bladed knife is used to sever the veins in the throat by making a small cut inside the mouth on the right side of the throat fit the base of the skull. After making this cut and bleeding begins, the knife is thrust up through the groove in the roof of the mouth and into the brain at the back part of .the skull. On piercing the brain the bird gives a peculiar squawk, the- feathers are loosened by a quivering of the muscles, and death Is instantaneous. In dry-picking the feathers should be plucked Immediately, and if the bird has, been properly stuck they come out very easily. The tail and large wing feathers are removed first, after which the body feathers are pulled out When the turkeys are to be marketed locally or are to be shipped but a short distance they are cpoled tb a temperature of about 35 degrees Fahrenheit by hanging In the open air, provided the weather Is cool enough; otherwise they are plunged into ice water and kept there until thoroughly cooled. After cooling they are packed undrawn in boxes or barrels. It Is Inadvisable for the producer without proper refrigerating facilities to ship dressed turkeys, as losses from improper cooling and from their being exposed to warm weather during transit are liable to occur. Aside from this it is seldom profitable to ship turkeys any great distance except in carload lots; when this is done the turkeys are cooled to 32 degrees Fahrenheit, packed In boxes or barrels, and shipped in refrigerator cars.

Provide Plenty of Water. Water receptacles for poultry should be large enough to hold plenty of water to last at least 24 hours, so the fowls will never suffer from lack of water. Drinking ’ vessels should be carefully rinsed when fresh water is given. If water Is supplied Irregularly, the hens will likely drink too much at a time. It should not be exposed to the sun’s rays In summer or be allowed to freeze in winter If this can be avoided. A flock of 50 hens In good laying condition will require four to six quarts of water a day. Shade of some kind should be provided for poultry, and this can often be advantageously furnished by planting fruit trees (such as pear, plum, cherry and apple) In the yard. Dispose of Cockerels. One good way to dispose of the cockerels that you are weeding out Gt flocks is .to can them.