POULTRY KEEPING 585 



nient. The head is grasped in the left hand, the first finger being 

 placed in the mouth to keep it open. The tube is placed in the 

 mouth and the bird is gently drawn on until the end of the tube 

 reaches the crop, the neck being elongated as much as possible. The 

 lever bar is gently lowered 'by the foot and the food is thus forced into 

 the crop. One hand is kept on the crop and as soon as it is suffi- 

 ciently full the foot is removed from the lever and the bird is gently 

 removed. The operator soon learns to know when the crop is full. 

 No stated amount that should be fed to an individual can be given, 

 for the quantity varies with the size of the crop. Great care should 

 be taken in preparing the feed to see that there are no lumps, for the 

 tube is small and easily becomes blocked. 



Hand Cramming. This is a good system where but few fowls 

 are being fattened, but would be found rather laborious where many 

 are fattened. The feed is made into boluses, or balls, which should 

 be about 2 inches long and one-half inch in diameter. A large num- 

 ber of these are prepared before commencing to feed. The operator 

 sits on a stool or box, firmly grips the fowl Between his knees, and 

 elongates the neck, holding the head in a similar manner to that 

 described in using the cramming machine. He then dips a bolus in 

 skim milk or water and forces it into the bird's mouth, pressing it 

 down the throat with his finger. The neck above the bolus is then 

 gripped with the thumb and first finger, which are run downward 

 along the neck, forcing the bolus into the crop. It will probably 

 take from 14 to 18 of these boluses to fill the crop, depending on its 

 capacity. Some feeders practice this method in connection with 

 crate fattening. The attendant, after feeding in the crates, feels the 

 crop of each bird, and any not having a sufficiently filled crop are 

 crammed in the manner described. 



Feed for Fattening. Fattening birds should always receive soft 

 feed. As they have no exercise they require a feed that can be 

 quickly and easily digested. The following mixture is fed at the 

 New York establishment referred to under the description of the 

 cramming machine : 100 pounds finely ground barley, 100 pounds 

 finely ground corn, 100 pounds finely ground oats (with hulls sifted 

 out), to which mixture is added 10 per cent of beef scraps. Butter- 

 milk or skim milk is used for mixing, the former being preferred. 

 A little salt is sometimes added. The birds are fed twice a day at 

 intervals of twelve hours, and are crammed for about three weeks. 

 It is important that the intervals between the feedings should be as 

 nearly equal as possible. 



Another ration may be made as follows: 100 pounds ground 

 oats, 100 pounds ground corn, 50 pounds flour, 4 pounds tallow. 

 (Dep. Agr. F. B. 287.) 



HOUSES. 



A poultry house should be warm, dry, light, and well ventilated 

 without draughts. A neglect of any of these requirements is enough 

 to destroy the usefulness of the house, in part at least. There are 

 many theories advanced, for building poultry houses that will not 

 bear a practical test. Great care should 'be used to have all buildings 



