Don Schrider is a poultry aficionado and has written on the topic for many publications, including Mother Earth News, Backyard Poultry, Chickens, Countryside and Small Stock Journal, and Poultry Press. He is a master breeder of Brown Leghorn and Buckeye chickens and has worked with the American Livestock Breeds Conservancy on various projects. He lives in Vermont.
Preface
Introduction
The Nature of the Bird * Natural Habitat
1 History
An American Original * European Contact * Colonial America * Breed Improvements
2 Varieties of Turkeys
Three Turkey Types * Wild Turkeys * Commercial Broad-Breasted Turkeys * Heritage Turkey Varieties * Securing Stock * Shipping and Receiving
3 Building and Equipment
Management Systems * Housing * Equipment
4 Feeds and Feeding
Feed Types * Natural Balancing * Feeding * Feeding Philosophy * Feeding the Breeders
5 Incubation
Collection of Eggs * Incubator Setup * Egg Position and Turning * Candling * When to Open the Incubator * Poult Defects Caused by Improper Incubation * Identification and Tracking * Removing Poults from the Incubator
6 Brooding
Imitating Nature * Natural Brooding * Before Brooding * The Brooder and Brooder House * Primary Brooding Challenges * Receiving Shipped Poults * Maturing Poults * Observing Poult Behavior
7 Pastured Production
Overview of the Three Systems * The Challenges of Overstocking * Learning from Nature * Rotational Grazing * Fencing Basics * Movable Roosts and Feeders * Permanent Fencing * Guardian Dogs * Roosts * Shade * Pasture * Manure * Putting Poults on Pasture
8 Protection from Predators
Small Predators * Medium-sized Predators * Large Predators * Flying Predators * Prevention * Fencing * Guardian Dogs * Your Ecosystem * Turkey Nature
9 Killing and Processing
Assessing Readiness for Processing * Care before Killing * Processing Area and Equipment * Killing * Debraining * Scalding * Plucking * Eviscerating * Cleaning the Giblets * Trussing * Chilling and Packaging * State and Federal Grading and Inspection
10 Breeding
Nature's Way * Human Impact * A Philosophy of Good Breeding * Genes * Breeds, Varieties, and Strains of Turkeys * Breeding Methods * Breeding Tools * Culling * Care of Breeding Turkeys * Storing Eggs * Egg Production * Selection * Applying What You've Learned * Artificial Insemination
11 The Turkey Enterprise
Consistency * Source of Stock * System of Production * Feed * Transporting * Processing * Product Marketing * Product Storage and Shipping * Inspections and Certifications * Marketing Your Turkeys
12 Flock Health
Disease Prevention Starts with Good Health * Disease Basics * Turkey Diseases * Turkey Parasites * Disease Prevention * Nutritional Deficiencies * Miscellaneous Problems * Disposal of Dead Birds * Rodent Control
Advice from Turkey Breeders
Talking Turkey: A Glossary of Terms
Definition of a Heritage Turkey
Recommended Reading
Resources
Index
Storey's Guide to Raising Turkeys provides expert information on breed selection, facilities management, health care, and slaughtering.