1 164 Rural School Li-:AFLiiT 



As the chickens j^ow older, the number of meals may be decreased, 

 and larger grain may be fed. At four or five weeks of age chickens will 

 be able to eat whole wheat, hulled oats, and medium cracked com. Then, 

 if they have a large range and the weather is favora.ble so that they may 

 run about, the}^ need only two meals of grain and one of moist mash a 

 day. They can always come back to the dry mash if they become hungry. 

 Beginning with the first meal, green feed should be supplied, but the hen 

 will soon teach the chickens to peck at tender pieces of clover and the 

 like, if she is allowed to range with the brood. If a brooder is used, the 

 chickens may be permitted to run out on clover sod at the end of the 

 first week if the weather is favorable. 



When the chickens are about eight weeks old, the grain and the ground 

 feed may be given from a large feed hopper, from which the chickens 

 may help themselves at any time. The grain mixture may consist of 

 equal parts of wheat and cracked com. The chickens should also have 

 free access to cracked bone, fine grit, screened 03'ster shell, and charcoal. 



Chickens should have plenty of fresh, clean water in a vessel into which 

 they cannot jtmip. Ordinarily a water fountain is used for this purpose, 

 and a serviceable one can be made from a pint basin and a tomato can. 

 Cut half-inch notches in the can on opposite sides, fill it with water, 

 cover it with the inverted basin, and turn the whole over, holding basin 

 and can tightly together. The water will run into the basin but will not 

 overflow. If the basin does not become full enough, cut the notches 

 higher. 



XII. FATTENING POL'LTRY 



W. G. Krum 



Fattening poultry means feeding it in such a way as to prodvice large, 

 soft muscles with sufficient fat so that when cooked they are tender, 

 juicy, and of fine flavor, rather than filling a fowl's body with a large 

 deposit of oily fat, such as is often found in old hens. Not only does 

 proper fattening improve the quality of poultr}^ for home use, but it 

 also increases the market value. 



The best method of fattening poultry is to restrict exercise by placing 

 the birds in slatted coops about two feet square, with the bottom slatted 

 or covered with wire cloth of one-half -inch mesh. This will hold from 

 four to six fowls or from eight to ten young birds. The coop should be 

 located in a cool, shady place in hot weather and in a comfortable place 

 in cold weather. 



Fairly good results can be obtained by confining the birds in small 

 yards in connection with the poultry house and by feeding them as though 

 they were in coops. This method of fattening poultry usually requires 

 a longer time than the coop method. 



