POULTRY NOTES.

Otago Witness, Issue 2292, 3 February 1898, Page 34

POULTRY NOTES.

Reading Turkeys tn the Op?n — Mr Tegetmeier, writing to the Field, says:— "For Revisral years past I have bean in the habit of directing the attention of turkey -breeders to the plan of rearing adopted in America as distinguished from that usually followed in England. I have endeavoured to show that., al' hough here young turkeys are regarded by the rearers as thi most delicate and difficult to raise of »ll poultiy, they are perfectly hardy if reared under natural conditions on fresh untainted ground. In January 1891- I published two long articles relating to the valuable experimeuts coii'luctad by the Rhode Island Colisgo of AjjricuUuro on turk*2y-bree.diug, and showed that the nysfcein adopted in that country was totally opposed to that followed in Englaad, and was infinitely more successful. Some people who resided in suitable localities did me fche honour of following my advice, and without; one exception were pucces«ful in so doing. Turkey hens were allowed to lay in the open, and to hatch and rear th»ir poult 3 without interference, and in all orbss with the most marked snooesa. These experiments were performed by friends in the New Forest, in Sometsetshire, in Esiex, and now we hare a gentleman reeo«nti?-g his experience in Stirlingshire, where the young were reared last May in a cold, wet season, with occasional severe frosts, a rainfall of 4bin, on a damp soil on the side of a hill with a northern exposure; and fcbia

mebhod was found to be infinitely more sue- I cessful than when the turkeys were attempted i to be reared in the usual coddling way on the ' Foul ground ot n poultry y-'-rd The qae=tion is i not unfreqoentiy asked me whether turkeys reared in this manner ever attain the piz^ of those that are lm>d-i-e?.red in the usur-,1 manner. In reply I would quote the woids of 'P. P.,' a vyry successful turkey rearer-, -J who wrote in the F.eld of January 20, 1891, 1 st-iting t "The birds rased under hens aiid receiving tvery care, though of the same pireufcaga as those r&ited without; help, are uot so hs.vvy by 41b or 51b as thoee raised by the natural parent ia the open." My expended experience regarding thia method of turkey-rearing must strongly convinces me of its efficacy. Sir Walter Giibey, who adopbsd this jyhtern" al my suggestion, had all his turkeys at large in his ph a*anfc coverts. They laid in the open, each bird hutching its own eggs ; and although one niornmg a great destruction of eg^s was effected by rooks, tho remainder were cuete*sfully ha' chtd, and lie has now a largr-r number of birds than required for home consumption. From personal experience I esu testify to the fact that t'ae turkeys reared in the open, using theic wings for the purpose of flying up into the trees to roost?, ere plumper and slr&ighter in the breast than those that are rf.i?ed in the usual manner. Tfce breaofc muscles of a bird when not used for flight nec-.-ssarily lessen in s'ze, and, on the other hand, are d veioped by exercise. The plumpest turkeys that I hive ever eafcon weiv those that have never roosted except iv trees."