304 



POULTRY CULTURE 



which they are to be killed, and being allowed one week for each 

 half pound of weight to be added. Many birds can be carried much 

 longer in this way, always in marketable condition and steadily 

 gaining in growth ; but, as a proportion will usually begin to go 

 off in condition after three or four weeks, it is better not to under- 

 take to carry them in this way too long. In such matters as this 

 the poultry keeper must be governed by conditions as they arise. 



Roasters are usually well grown before being finished or fattened. 

 Chickens approaching maturity in good condition may be fattened, 

 as much as required, in two or three weeks' yard feeding of ordi- 

 nary rations containing half corn ; by confining more closely and 

 feeding on corn exclusively, they may be brought to the required 

 degree of finish in a week or ten days. Fattening is hastened by 

 darkening the quarters in which the birds are kept. For a week or 

 ten days, birds of this age being fattened in this way may be kept 

 in rooms from which the light is excluded except for two or three 

 periods of from fifteen to twenty minutes each daily, when it is 

 admitted, that they may see to eat. Under such conditions they 

 put on fat very rapidly. 



Fowls of both sexes past profitable use as producers should be 

 sold at once if fat. If in good condition, not fat, they may be fin- 

 ished by close confinement and heavy feeding for a short period, 

 as just described for roasters. If in poor flesh and requiring longer 

 feeding, it is better to treat them for several weeks as described for 

 broilers, and then to finish as above in close confinement. 



Ducks to be sold as green dticks are handled in general by the 

 same methods as broilers, the fattening periods for these two kinds 

 of poultry corresponding closely. Ducklings (see rations, p. 235) 

 will stand without injury much heavier feeding than any other 

 young poultry. As they grow rapidly, so they fatten easily. Indeed, 

 well-fed ducklings are fat at any time, and with a liberal fattening 

 ration become very fat as the frame stops growing. 



Older ducks (both the young birds held until maturity for table 

 use and those no longer required for production) are easily fattened 

 in confinement by heavy feeding not much different from the 

 usual ration at first and gradually changed until, for about a week 

 before killing, they are fed on the same ration as that used for 

 finishing ducklings. The length of the finishing period must be 



