Food and Exercise 195 



to a depth of a few inches with some kind of litter. 

 This litter should be changed whenever it becomes 

 soiled or damp. 



FEEDING FOR MEAT OR FATTENING 



Feeding fowls for meat production may prop- 

 erly be discussed under two rather distinct heads 

 so far as exercise is concerned: Fattening mature 

 fowls, and feeding young growing fowls that are 

 to be sent to the market when a few months old. 

 Mature fowls will require little or no exercise during 

 the process of fattening, while young fowls that 

 are growing rapidly will require considerable exercise 

 in order to keep them in a healthy and vigorous 

 condition, except perhaps for a short time during 

 the last of the fattening period, which is some- 

 times called "the finishing." 



Whenever a choice quality of meat is to be pro- 

 duced, little or no exercise should be given for 

 a few weeks immediately preceding the killing. 

 When the fowl is shut up or closely confined, the 

 muscles soften and the flesh becomes more tender. 

 It is conceded by those who most highly prize 

 tender flesh that close confinement, without exer- 

 cise, greatly improves the quality. It is also true 

 that fowls under these conditions take on fat rapidly 

 if the close confinement is not continued too long. 

 Little exercise, with plenty of pure air and an abun- 



