height, 20 inches over all. There are five rows of laths placed lengthwise on top. 

 These are placed about .2% inches apart. Seven rows of 1-inch stuff, the edges of 

 which have been skived down, are nailed on to the bottom of the crate about 

 iy 2 inches apart. A piece of 1-inch stuff should be centred on the bottom, the 

 other three on each side being nailed equal distances apart. The back and three 

 centre partitions are solid, made of two pieces of 1 by 8-inch shiplap. All other 

 framework is made of material 2 inches by % inch, except end braces. Inch and 

 a quarter nails are used in the lath work and 2-inch nails for the rest of work. 



In constructing the front of crate, each compartment of which has five pieces 

 of laths up and down, one piece 16 inches long should be centred in the middle 

 of the compartment stationary, and two placed at equal distances on each side of 

 same, nailed permanently. The centre lath works as a door by nailing two pieces 

 horizontally across the two laths which have been nailed on either side of the 

 stationary piece, and driving two nails on either side of the centre lath itself to 

 hold same in firm upright position, yet allowing play enough for easy working up 

 and down. 



The material required for such a crate is as follows: 29 laths 49 inches long 

 by 1% inches wide ; 4 feet of 1 14 -inch material planed for braces at top and bottom 

 ends to attach laths to ; 70 feet of 1-inch stuff for bottom pieces ; 20 feet of 2- by 

 %-inch material for bottom and top front brace to which partitions and front 

 laths are secured; 36 feet of 1- by 8-inch rough shiplap for partitions and back; 

 1 Ib. 134-inch nails; 1 Ib. 2-inch nails. 



A crate this size allows five compartments of 20 by 22 inches inside measure- 

 ments. The feed-trough measurements are the same as for the standard crate. 



The objectionable features of the pen method are many. When a number of 

 birds are placed in a house or small coop, there naturally is a tendency to move 

 around and walk over each other; hence much of the food eaten is wasted by 

 supplying energy to the bird for its movements. In crate fattening, one can guide 

 the feed much more readily, keep the birds in a smaller space, have them in a 

 more sanitary condition, and keep the room darker, preventing so much restlessness. 



There are several little details, however, which should be given consideration 

 as to the handling of the stock before placing them in the crates. A bird weighing 

 from 3% to 4% It), pays better returns than a heavier or lighter bird, when crate- 

 fattened. Stock should have reached this weight when from the age of four to 

 four and a half months. 



EXPERIMENT 1. 



Experiment to show results of fattening immature stock and mature stock 

 of weights recommended: 



Brown-Upton, University of Maine. 1910-11. 



Notes on Above Figures. It must be remembered that individuality will play 

 a large part in all cases. Birds Nos. 60, +13, and +67 made good gains, compara- 

 tively speaking. Birds Nos. 275, 255, and 223 made very poor gains. The quality 

 of flesh was much improved, but the stock was range-fed too long before fattening. 

 The above results are a few specimens experimented with out of several crates. 



11 



