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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 

 docs this improve their quality 

 for home use, but they will sell 

 in good markets for a much 

 higher price per pound. 



The best method of fatten- 

 ing poultry is to restrict exer- 

 cise 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 



Shutting birds up in coops or small pens is very 

 satisfactory -when fattening them. The coops 

 should be arranged in the shade. By means of 

 troughs, wet mash may be fed three times a day 



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

 place in cold weather. 



The fowls should be thoroughly dusted with lice powder, as fowls 

 infected with lice do not fatten well. Neither do fowls or chickens of 

 low vitality fatten readily. 



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

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

 Afterwards the fowls 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 continued as long as they will do well under such heavy feeding. 



A good ration consists of three pounds corn 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 requires 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. 



