The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1873-02-22
The Selection of Turkeys for Breeding.

From american Agriculturists.
The rule among the great majority of
farmers is to breed only from yearling
turkeys, and these generally are birds
of the second litter. As we try to get
at the reason of this practice, diverse
old wives fables are offered in explana-
ton. One is, that large gobblers are
apt to crush small hens. If large hens
are suggested as remedy, we are told
that large hens are apt to break the
eggs. If it is shown that the eggs of
large turkeys are larger and stronger
and likely to fare quite as well as small
eggs under a small hen, we are told
that it is not as well to breed from Il
cock the second year, or from two-year
old hens. When pressed to relate their
experience in that line, they have none,
but they have heard of somebody that
used an old cock, and the eggs were
added The real reason of breeding
from young birds, in most cases, is that
the farmer grudges the few extra pounds
of poultry that he has to feed through
the winter The difference between Il
dozen good birds fit for breeding and a
dozen of the second litter, is some sixty
or seventy pounds twelve dol
lars or more. If he markets that poul-
try he is sure of the money. The cost
of keeping large birds in good condition
is also more So he tries to believe
that the keeping of the refuse of his
flock is good policy. This we know
to be a very bad practice Nothing on
the farm pays better than poultry, and
turkeys stand at the head of the list, if
they can have good range, and not
disturb the crops of neighbors Tur-
keys do not reach their full size until
their third year, and we believe we can
get larger and stronger birds from full
grown stock than from yearlings. In
the year 1871 we bred from a large
bronze gobbler, late summer bird of
the previous year, weighing twenty-five
pounds, and from yearling hens witt.
few exceptions. The gobbler was from
a very large pair, weighing 60 lbs, and
gave US fine flock. We kept over the
gobbler and most of the hens. He had
increased his weight to thirty and one
half pounds without extra feed, and
some of the hens reached eighteen
pounds. The result is much larger
flock of turkeys, and they are heavier
October LIST than the flock of last wear
November LIST. This would indicate an
average difference of three pounds or
more by Christmas in favor of breeding
from two-year old birds Pairs weigh
ing forty pounds at seven months are
much more numerous than pairs weigh
ing thirty-fve pounds last year at the
same age. The turkeys haze had the
same care, and the difference in growth
seems to be owing simply to the fact
that the breeders were of larger size,
and more mature. We kept over three
late cock turkeys, October chicks. hop
ing they would make large birds the
second season. In this we were disap-
pointed. Nearly all the spring birds
have outstripped them by four or five
pounds. The best of the late gobblcrs
only dressed IA lbs. at Thanksgiving,
when he was about fourteen months
old. OF course, seven months feed and
the care were lost. We purpose to
keep the same breeders the third year,
unless we can find something heavier.
With a cock weighing 80 lbs, and hens
weighing twenty, we think we shall
surpass the very satisfactory results of
this year We are confident that moth
ing pays better than large frst-class
birds to breed from. Reducing this
turkey experience to maxims, we would
say: |. Never breed from late turkeys
if it is possible to get better. 2. Never
breed from yearlings turkeys if you can
get two-years olds 3 IF you must use
yearlings, get cock weighing 22to %
lbs. and the larger the better, if he is
welcomed and handsome in plumage