• . • 38 



good appetites. When they commence taking less food they are 

 dressed for market and usually weigh about lyl pounds dressed 

 weight." 



The objects in view in the management of the 

 The Management pullets after the cockerels have been removed 

 of the Pullets. are to promote rapid and healthy growth and 

 development of sound, vigorous birds. To ac- 

 complish these results, pure air, exercise and a plentiful supply of 

 nourishing foods are among the most important requisites. 

 A liberal supply of animal food of some sort is essential. The ob- 

 ject in feeding should be to promote development of bone and mus- 

 cle rather than fat. 



Owing to the peculiarities of the location of 



The Station Plan the poultry work in Amherst, it has not been 



of found possible to allow the pullets free range. 



Managing Pullets. In its absence, the system of confinement in the 



open coops described on page 7 has important 



merits. With this system, the factors named above as essential for 



the best development may all be realized to the full, except physical 



exercise, and even in this direction the system is not open to very 



serious criticism, for the birds confined in small numbers in these 



open coops (moved daily) take a great deal more exercise than might 



be anticipated by one without experience in their use. They hunt 



their comparatively limited territory over with the utmost industry 



for tidbits of food, consume the grass, chase the insects and scratch 



for worrosand grain concealed in the grass. Undoubtedly, however, 



the free range should be preferred whenever conditions allow. The 



labor cost of caring for the fowls is considerably greater in the coop 



system than with free range. 



Good results in development and growth have been obtained in 

 Amherst under the following system of feeding. In the morning, a 

 slightly moist, crumbly mash is given in such quantity as the fowls 

 will consume within about one-half hour. 

 This is made up as follows : 



25 lbs. corn meal 

 5 lbs. meat scraps 

 5 lbs. gluten feed 

 5 lbs. bran 

 2 lbs. charcoal 



