CHAPTER XXVI 



FEEDING FOR FLESH 



FEEDING for flesh means getting the birds ready for 

 market. They must be plump all over, that is, well covered 

 with flesh, which should consist of both lean meat and fat 

 (Fig. 146). Get them into the best condition for cooking 

 and eating. Fat is especially desirable in birds, since it 

 permits them to be thoroughly cooked without becoming 

 excessively dry. Many kinds of birds are used for food, and 

 there are various methods of conditioning them for market. 

 In this chapter we shall discuss in a general way a few of the 

 prevailing customs. 



THREE CLASSES OF BIRDS TO BE FED 



All poultry conditioned for market can be grouped into 

 one of three classes: broilers, roasting chickens, and fowls. 

 Broilers constitute a rather large class, and are birds specially 

 prepared for broiling. They are usually small, being sold 

 when from 10 to 15 weeks old. Cockerels are largely dis- 

 posed of in this way; sometimes pullets, also, but rarely, 

 as they are in too great demand for laying. The object in 

 getting broilers ready for market is to bring them quickly 

 to marketable size, since every week they are kept adds to 

 the cost of production, and increased cost reduces the profits. 



Roasting chickens include cockerels which are approach- 

 ing maturity, capons, and sometimes pullets (Fig. 147). 

 The, object in getting roasting chickens into condition is to 

 have them of large size, yet with tender meat. " Fowls" is 

 a trade name applied to old hens, which, when they have 

 passed their usefulness for egg production, are disposed of 

 for meat. Fowls constitute the poorest quality of poultry 



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