Margaret Mahaney Talks About TurkeysMahaney, Margaret
Science
Margaret Mahaney Talks About Turkeys
Mahaney, Margaret
Turkeys
The writer had two cases of peritonitis in her flock of turkey
hens just around the laying season. One died and the other I
succeeded in saving by the breaking of the bound egg and washing
out the rectum with a syringe. For a wash of this kind four or
five drops of iodine should be added. It is good to relieve pain
and acts as a stimulant for the bird. The bird must be kept very
warm and comfortable after a thing of that kind for three or four
days. It is well to feed the bird on stimulating food and keep
her away from the breeding pens until she recovers her strength.
THE BRONZE TURKEY
THE ORGANS AND SIZE
This variety holds the place of honor. It probably originated
from a cross between the wild and the tame product. Its
beautiful, rich plumage and size have come from the wild
progenitor. To maintain this quality, crosses are continually
made. In this way the mammoth size has been gained. Their
standard weight ranges from twenty, thirty-six to forty and fifty
pounds, according to age and sex. Probably more of this variety
are grown each year than all the others. They have been pushed on
all sides, almost to the exclusion of the others. Until within a
few years, if possible, the bronze turkey has been developed too
much in the direction of size. While size within reasonable
limits is to be desired and encouraged, when it is confined to
length of thigh and shank, it is a gain of weight with but little
additional value.
COLORING
The coloring of this variety is a ground of black bronze, or
shaded with bronze. This shade is rich and glowing, and when the
sun rays are reflected from them, they shine like polished steel.
The female is not as rich in coloring as the male, but both have
the same color and shade. Much of its richness and color is lost
by inbreeding, and it is improved each year with the wild
specimens. Of all our domestic fowl, none suffer more from
inbreeding than the turkey. This should be guarded against at all
times if it is hoped to gain the best results.
[Illustration: TURKEY RAISING IS AN INTERESTING AND HEALTHFUL
OCCUPATION]
SELECTION OF BREEDING STOCK
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