Evening Republican, Volume 18, Number 202, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 August 1914 — HINTS ON FATTENING POULTRY ON THE FARM [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

HINTS ON FATTENING POULTRY ON THE FARM

By A. G. Philips,

Poultry Division, Department of Animal Husbandry, Pur-

due University Experiment Station, -* Purdue University Agricultural Extension. .

For those who like to eat finely flavored poultry, it will be profitable for them to consider the milk feeding method of fattening. Fattening is essentially a finishing process, hence is carried on outty for ten days to two weeks, just before marketing. Milk fattening increases, the flavor of the flesh and its tenderness, besides increasing the bird in weight. The meat becomes more juicy and very white.

Fattening is carried on in fattening crates divided into compartments 21 by 35 inches, each capable of holding about eight chickens. Wire bottoms allow the droppings to go through* and slat or wire fronts permit the birds eating from a trough placed in front of the coop. Only those birds should be fed that have strong, vigorous constitutions, as shown by full blooded broad-head, short beak, compact body, and rather short legs well spread apart. Much' success or failure depends on the individuality of the bird. In the same coop, in the same length of time, some will do well while others will lose weight. Thus much depends on seleotion of feeding stock.

After placing the birds in a fattening crate they should be allowed to become hungry before the first feed is given. The feed should be made of finely ground feeds mixed with sour milk or buttenhilk until it reaches the consistency of pancake batter. A good cheap ration is as follows: Two pounds corn meal, two pounds ground oats, one pound shorts, eight pounds buttermilk. * Each batch of feed should be mixed 12 hours before each feeding and allowed to sour. This appears to aid in the digestion of the food. Since more fattening is done with the three to five pound birdß the

chances are that the weather at fattening time will be reasonably coot Under cool weather coMitions, two feeds a day is sufficient. Give the feed to the birds in a trough outside of the coop and allow them to consume all they desire for from 20 to 30 minutes. At the expiration of this time take the remaining feed away, and wash the trough. If the feed remains before the birds after they are through eating, they soon tire of it and go off feed. The birds should be eager for each feed, yet not have all the previous food digested until Just before the next meal. Feeding time should be as near 12 hours apart as possible. Sanitation is necessary to keep the birds in good health. Clean coops and feeding vessels along with healthy birds, free from lice, are as important as a good ration. Birds will make little gain the first three days, but soon get on feed and consume more each day. The gains from the third to the tenth day are very rapid, but after that the per cent of gain is gradually lessened. A three pound bird should put on one half to one ( pound in two weeks. It may pay to quit at ten days If the birds are needed. The cost of feed need not exceed seven to eight cents per pound gain. The markets of Indiana do not quote special prices for fattened poultry. This limits the general farmer to local town or city trade as a means of disposing of his stock. As a rule the farmer would find the best market on his home table. He will find 1 it a distinct change from ordinary farm chicken, and well worth all it cost Many chickens should be cod sumed on the farm and less sold at 11 cents % pound to the local poultry buyer.

Fat and Unfattened Bird.