POULTRY FEEDS AND FEEDING 



by the size of the chickens and the weather conditions. 

 Hot weather in the summer makes conditions in the fat- 

 tening stations unfavorable, while wet, cold weather in 

 the fall is also undesirable. The fattening season usually 

 runs from August i to November I, depending upon the 

 size of the chickens and the market demand. 



DRESSED WEIGHT OF POULTRY 



The shrinkage after killing and picking without draw- 

 ing (only blood and feathers removed) averages about 

 11.5 per cent in the fattening stations for the broilers, 

 the shrinkage increasing gradually with the size of the 

 chickens to 15 per cent for those averaging about 3^/2 

 pounds in weight With hens the shrinkage is greater 

 than on smaller chicks, averaging 13 per cent. Chickens 

 which are especially fattened show a slightly lower shrink- 

 age when killed and picked than do those not fattened. 

 In experiments conducted at the Pennsylvania State Col- 

 lege (Bulletin 87, Pennsylvania State College) White 

 Wyandotte Cockerels gave 60.99 P er cen ^ f their live 

 weight as flesh and 8.97 per cent as feathers, 7.78 as 

 head and feet; 7.42 as bones of the body; 6.78 as intes- 

 tines; 4.49 as giblets and 3.57 as blood. White Wyan- 

 dotte Pullets gave 65.45 per cent of flesh, 6.07 as feathers, 

 7.75 as head and feet, 6.29 as bones of body, 6.62 as in- 

 testines, 4.64 as giblets and 3.20 as blood. White Leghorn 

 Cockerels gave 56.75 per cent flesh, and White Leghorn 

 pullets 58.67 per cent flesh. 



Pullets have a larger per cent of edible flesh than cock- 



38 



