POULTRY 359 



and the mash left before the fowls the greater part of the 

 day. Green food, grit and shell are, of course, added to 

 this ration. 



Feeding chickens for fattening. Chickens should be 

 specially fattened for market. Not only is weight added, 

 but the quality of the meat greatly improved by fattening, 

 and a higher price obtained. When unfattened chickens 

 are selling at ten cents, the same fowls when fattened will 

 bring fifteen cents in the city markets. 



Both the pen and the crate method of fattening are used. 

 Pen fattening requires less time and attention than crate 

 fattening. The fattening pen should be kept darkened ex- 

 cept at feeding time, in order that the chickens may remain 

 quiet. A suitable ration is fed at regular intervals, and in 

 as large quantities as the fowls will eat in from twenty to 

 thirty minutes. 



Crate feeding. More rapid fattening is possible by 

 placing from six to nine chickens in a crate. The fowls are 

 given a regular ration, and kept from all exercise. About 

 two weeks is the average time required for fattening. An 

 excellent fattening ration may be compounded as follows : 



10 pounds of cornmeal. 



5 pounds of shorts. 



5 pounds of ground oats. 

 40 pounds of buttermilk. 



Cramming. Poultrymen who make a business of fat- 

 tening for city markets often use the cramming system of 

 feeding. This method is based on the fact that chickens 

 will not eat so much as they can assimilate and use in mak- 

 ing fat. The fowl is taken from the pen or crate and held 

 while soft food is pressed down the throat into the crop, or 

 passed into the crop by means of a tube attached to a 

 cramming machine. This forcible feeding will considerably 

 hasten the fattening process. 



