266 EXPERIMENTAL FARMS. 



64 VICTORIA, A. 1901 



FATTENING OF THE CHICKENS. 



If the chickens receive the attention and food as outlined, they should be ready 

 to be sold to any of the large establishments which purchase chickens to fatten, and 

 ship to the English market, or the farmer may prefer to dispose of them to special 

 customers in the large cities, or, if he has them in sufficient numbers he may prefer 

 to ship them to the agent of the Department of Agriculture in London, England, 

 Mr. A. W. Grindley, first notifying the Commissioner of Agriculture and Dairying 

 of such intention in order that arrangements may be made for their transmission by 



cold storage. 



Should the farmer desire to specially fatten his chickens before sale, or ship- 

 ment, his simplest and speediest plan is to put his birds at 3^, 4 or 4i months of age, 

 in slatted coops or crates divided into compartments to hold one, or a number of 

 birds up to four. These coops should have V-shaped feeding troughs in front. The 

 following fattening ration has been found most eiiective in, our poulti-y department^ 

 viz. : — 



Two parts finely ground oats. 



One part finely ground barley. 



One part ordinarily grovind cornmeal. 



After loth day add beef suet in proportion of one ounce to every four birds. 

 Mix with skim-milk. If the milk is made near the boiling point the tallow, which 

 should be chopped fine, will be melted by it when poured on the ground grains. Or 

 the tallow may be melted in the hot milk. The birds should be fed all they will eat 

 twice a day. Carefully collect all uneaten food. Leave none to turn sour, and feed 

 none in that condition. 



Care should be taken to free the birds from vermin before cooping. This may 

 be done by rubbing sulphur well into the feathers, or by one of the lice-exterminating 

 powders. 



Pens and premises should be kept scrupulously clean. 



Grit and water should be supplied regularly. Three weeks should be sufficient 

 to fatten the birds satisfactorily. 



METHODS OF FATTENING ADOPTED BY FAEMERS. 



Several farmers have sent their methods of and foods used in fattening chickens. 

 Some of them are given as follows : — 



Mr. A. McPhadden, of Dominionville, Ont., states that his crates are made of 

 common building lath, 4 feet long, divided into two compartments, with the bottom 

 laths planed. Four chicks were put in each compartment. 



Rations for first week were composed of 3 parts oats, 1 part pease. 



Second week — Same as first, with a little cornmeal added. 



Third week — Quantity of cornmeal was increased. 



Three weeks' fattening was sufficient. 



Cost of one pound flesh production, 5A- cents. 



Mr. James Watson, of Sonya, Ont., described the rations used by him as follows :— 



Two parts finely ground oats. 



One part finely ground barley. 



Mixed with skim-milk and fed 3 times per day for 3 weeks. 



Thirty B. P. Rock cockerels weighing 1G7 pounds were put into crates on October 

 22, and fed on above rations. Gain made in first week, 24 pounds ; second week, 

 20 pounds ; third week, 12^ pounds. Cost of producing one pound of flesh, 5.1 cents. 



Messrs. Armstrong Bros., of Fergus, Ont., describe the following as rations used 

 by them : — 



