31 



Lot II. consisted of 8 high-grade Leghorns, weighing 18J pounds. 



First week . . 

 Second week 

 Third week. 

 Fourth week 



Lbs. Grain 

 Consumed. 



7 

 11 

 10 



7 



Lbs. 

 Skim-milk 

 Consumed. 



10 

 16 

 15 

 10 



Lbs. Gain. 



3 



Lbs. of 



grain to 



make 1 lb. 



Gain. 



1.8 

 7.3 

 3.33 

 4. 



Average 



gam per 



bird in 4 



weeks. 



1.28 lbs. 



Average of grain per lb. gain in 4 weeks 3.4 lbe. 



When dressed these chickens were somewhat plumper than the 

 Rocks owing to their being mature, but they were rather small. They 

 were sold at 13 cents per pound. 



Crate Feeding vs. Loose Pen Fattening of Chickens. 



The term "fattening of chickens" has been in use for some time, 

 but it does not exactly convey the meaning intended by the feeders of 

 chickens. The object is to make the chickens more fleshy, with just 

 sufficient fat to make the chicken cook well. The chickens are not 

 intended to be abnormally fat, yet at the same time, they carry con- 

 siderable fat well intermixed with lean meat. 



We have, for a number of years, conducted experiments with 

 chickens in crates and in loose pens. We have tried about six different 

 feeders and the results vary. With some feeders we had equally as 

 good results with birds in crates as with them in loose pens. W T e have 

 had two feeders in particular who could not feed birds to advantage 

 in loose pens as compared with crates. We have had one feeder who 

 could get slightly better returns in some cases, not all, with birds in 

 pens as compared with crates. 



In speaking to the buyers of chickens, the majority of them seem 

 to think that the crate fed birds are much superior to those fed in 

 loose pens. Personally, I would prefer feeding birds in crates, for the 

 reason that it takes less room, and I believe that I can feed them with 

 less expenditure of labor and get a more even product. There are 

 now many people who can get good results from feeding birds in box 

 stalls, etc. No matter which method is followed, cockerels should be 

 fed for two weeks or more before they are killed and sold. 



Grain Rations. 



The following table shows the amount of feed consumed by the 

 different groups of chickens, the cost of producing a pound of gain, 

 and the number of pounds of grain it took to make one pound of gain : — 



