40 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



Mr. IIaven. Do you give your cockerels any different 

 ration ? 



Professor Geaham. Those we are keeping for breeding 

 purposes we feed in the same way, about as we do the breed- 

 ing hens. Those we are fattening, of course, we give a very 

 fattening ration. 



Mr. G. B. Pakks. Did you ever feed cotton seed ? 



Professor Graham. We do not feed cotton seed because 

 we don't know just how much we can feed. Another thing, 

 cotton seed is rather fibrous compared with some of the other 

 concentrates, and the fact that it will kill pigs if fed to them 

 in quantities leads us to believe that we had better not feed 

 very much to hens, because the digestive apparatus of the 

 hens is very much more like that of the pig than that of the 

 cow or the steer. 



Mr. A. A. Wakkiner. I would like to ask a question in 

 regard to fattening chickens and making growth. I want 

 to find the best feed for getting large, nice, fat roasting 

 chickens. 



Professor Graham. Yes, You have reference to growing 

 them particularly rather than to finishing them, have you 

 not? 



Mr. A. A. Warriner. Finishing them off, fattening them 

 and getting them in good condition. 



Professor Graham. In fattening there are three factors 

 to consider; first, we want to select chickens that grew to 

 maturity in good health and that will take on fat readily 

 (it is a- well-known fact among market poultrymen that there 

 are certain ones that cannot be fattened) ; second, we must 

 have the right kind of feed ; and third, the proper method of 

 giving it. The best ration for finishing is one part by weight 

 of each of the following: corn meal, flour middlings, finely 

 ground oats, and bran, mixed with some sour milk or butter- 

 milk. If you haven't sour milk or buttermilk, put in about 

 10 per cent beef scrap and use water. It should be mixed 

 to a creamy consistency, so that the birds will get a great 

 deal of the milk. This can be fed twice a day in a trough, 

 and a little cracked corn also can be given every day, if they 

 will eat it. 



