746 



Rural School Leaflet 



X. FATTENING POULTRY 



W. G. Krum 



By fattening we do not mean filling a fowl's body with a large deposit 

 of oily fat such as is often found in old hens, but producing large, soft 

 muscles with sufficient fat so that when cooked, they will be tender, juicy, 

 and of fine flavor. Not only does this improve their quality for home use, 

 but they will sell in good markets for a much higher price a pound. 



The best way to fatten poultry is to restrict exercise by placing them 



in slatted coops about two feet 

 square, having the bottom 

 slatted or covered with one- 

 half inch mesh wire cloth. 

 This will hold four to six 

 fowls or eight to ten young 

 birds. 



The fattening coop should be 

 located in a cool, shady place 

 in hot weather and in a com- 

 fortable place in cold weather. 

 The fowls should be thor- 

 oughly dusted with lice pow- 

 der, as fowls infected with 

 lice do not fatten well. 

 Neither do fowls or chickens of low vitality fatten readily. 



Poultry shoiild not be fed for twenty-four to thirty-six hours before 

 feeding the fattening ration. The ration should then be fed sparingly at 

 first. Afterward they should be kept eating well by feeding only as much 

 as they will clean up in ten to twenty minutes. If they have more than 

 they can digest for a meal or two they lose their appetite, fail to grow well, 

 and may lose weight. 



Feed fowls or mature young stock three times daily for about two weeks, 

 this being as long as they will do well under this heavy feeding. 



A good ration consists of three pounds com meal, three pounds buck- 

 wheat middlings, three pounds oat flour, one pound beef scrap, and a 

 little charcoal. These are mixed with sour skimmed milk or buttermilk 

 (the latter preferred) to the consistency of batter, which is then allowed 

 to stand and sour twelve hours before feeding. 



Ten pounds of feed usually require seven to nine quarts of milk. The 

 oat flour may be obtained of manufacturers of oat flakes or oatmeal. Flour 

 middlings may be used in the place of oat flour, although it is not quite 

 so satisfactory a food. 



Shutting birds up in coops or small pens is very 

 satisfactory when fattening them. The coops 

 should be arranged in the shade. By meatis of 

 troughs, wet mash may be fed three times a day 



