47 



weeks. Chickens weighing from three to three and one-half pounds each, that 

 are thrifty and of good breeding, appear to be the most profitable for feeding. 

 Large chickens, weighing from five to six pounds, gain less and eat more than 

 the smaller ones. 



Should a bird become sick while in the crate, I find that if it is given a 

 teaspoonful of salts and turned out on a grass run it will usually recover. 



Cramming Machine. 



The crammer consists of a food reservoir, to the bottom of which is attached 

 a small force-pump moved by a lever and treadle which is worked by the foot 

 of the operator. 



Communicating with the pump is a nozzle, through which the food passes 

 to the bird. 



"A" is the food reservoir, "B" the pump, "E" the pump rod, "0" the lever, 

 which on being depressed at the lettered end causes the pump rod "E," to which 

 it is attached, to move downwards, and to eject the contents of the pump "B" 

 out of nozzle "K." On relieving the pressure at "0" the lever and the parts 

 connected therewith are drawn up by the spring "C" until the motion is arrested 

 by a stop "M," which serves to determine the quantity of food ejected at each 

 depression of the treadle. 



The charge may also be varied by arresting the pressure at any point in the 

 downward thrust of the lever at "0." 



The illustration (Fig. 3^5) shows one method of operation with this crammer, 

 and this plan is now largely followed in some parts of Sussex, England. 



Kind of Food Used in Cramming Machine. 



Not all kinds of foods can be used in the machine. The food must be in a 

 semi-liquid condition in order to pass through the machine. This necessitates the 

 use of some kind of grain that will stay in suspension in the milk, beef broth, 

 or whatever liquid is used in mixing the grain. Finely ground oats, with the 

 hulls removed, or shorts, answer the purpose well. We use almost entirely the 

 former food. Grains, like corn-chop or barley meal, are not suitable. 



The food is mixed to the consistency of ordinary gruel, or until it drips from 

 the end of a stick. 



Will it Pay to Buy a Cramming Machine f 



For the ordinary person, I think not. First-class chickens may be had by 

 feeding in the crate from the trough only; indeed, I have had equally fleshy 

 birds that have been fed for four weeks from the trough as where we have fed 

 them two weeks from the trough and one week from the machine. 



Where one has a special trade for high-class poultry, I am of the opinion 

 that a more uniform product can be secured by using the machine. Machine-fed 

 birds should realize at least one cent more per pound than trough -fed birds in 

 order to pay for the extra labor, etc. 



Birds that are fairly well fleshed when put into the crate will do better if 

 put at once on the machine, instead of being crate-fed first. 



