Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-11-13

II =
That the wild turkey can not only
be tanned but that he is much harder
than his tame brother and that the
cross between the native wild turkey
and the Bronze makes the handsom-
est bird Of the turkey tribe has been
demonstrated most successfully by ex-
periments along these lines.
An enterprising Virginian was
lucky enough a few years ago to cap
ture FIVE baby wild turkey chicks
they were only two days old when he
caught them.
They were given to a tame turkey
hen-Who already had a brood of
young ones-after they had been in
captivity only two days.
At first these shy little fellows
seemed to distrust everything, but
soon became accustomed to the Vir-
ginian, who paid particular attention
10 his mixed flock. bringing them ber-
ries and other delicacies, at the same
time teaching them to come to his
call to be fed.
Every one of the five birds grew
up and they turned out to be one
eobbler and four hens. It is inter
esting to note that although there
was a mortality Of 60 per cent. among
the domestic birds that season, the
FIVE wild turkeys were not affected in
any way.
At the approach of winter a wire
enclosure was made. this was also
covered over with wire, making a
perfectly enclosed space of 15Ox45
feet, and at one end was a small tree
that was enclosed in a 25-foot square
of wire fencing-a natural roosting
place-the enclosed space had a
growth Of bushes and wild vines
growing upon it, also a natural sod.
The turkeys put in this limited
space must naturally be fed on such
stuff as would as nearly as possible,
resemble the food that nature intend
ed for them, so they were given corn,
wheat, oats, wild berries, acorns, per-
simmons, grit in abundance, and fresh
water ad libitum.
The winter season passed. the birds
were we'll and hearty. With the adj
vent Of spring, the hens made their
nests in the enclosure, where honey
suckIe vines afforded the privacy that
they so Ionged for. Later on the
young poults arrived both they and
their half domesticated mothers
showed aversion to man. their nat
ural enemy-so the broods were taken
away from the wild hens that had
Matched them, and were given to
some Bronze hens, who raised SO birds
out of a hatch of 40.
The first adventure being so sue
cessful, the Virginian followed out
the same methods with the So birds
that he had used with the original
five. and the loss of only two birds
was q striking example of the hardi-
ness Of the wild birds.
1t is interesting to note that after
the Young birds and their mothers
had been given their freedom, they
showed no disposition to revert to
their wild state. but always returned
home at night, roosting on the upper
limbs Of their tree along with the
other turkeys, the young birds taking
more kindly to domestic ways than
their parents.
After two years OF hard work the
Virginian began to realize some finan-
cial returns from his labor. and the
IS birds above mentioned, were sold
at Z price aggregating slightly more
than $500, while the extra eggs gave
him another $3.50 The price of the
young hens was $40 each, while that
received from gobblers was from $12
10 SEQ each. Eggs easily sold at 81
apiece. At present he is getting SIS
for hens and $50 for gobblers.
Keeping II birds during the second
winter. 1902 chicks were Matched. and
rs Of these were raised to maturity,
the losses were caused by accident
or dogs and not, by disease, although
the domestic birds on the farm that
year were decimated.
The wild turkeys roasted under the
wire enclosure, the domestic birds
over it, The droppings of the latter
naturally fell into the enclosure. None
of the wild turkeys contracted the
fatal disease. but showed themselves
not only immune to it, but to a long
spell of wet weather. These birds
have been thoroughly tested and have
shown themselves immune to the
dread disease, black head, as we'll as
from other diseases which affect the
domestic breeds.
Experiments have demonstrated
that an infusion of wild blood will
undoubtedly make a harder strain of
domestic turkey.
In order that there will not be in
breeding 60 an extent that would re-
duce the natural vitality of the birds,
fine specimens of Wild turkeys from
Mexico, Oklahoma. Louisiana, North
Carolina. and other sections have
been secured from hunters and others
interested in the experiment.
Believing that the domestic bird of
the present day is not descended from
the native turkey as is commonly
supposed. but traces its origin back
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