FATTENING CHICKENS. 113 



four times a day, chickens have been fatten- 

 ed in eight to ten days. It has been, in- 

 deed, asserted that three pounds of meal 

 alone will fatten a chick from the shell. 



Mr. Wingate, of Maine, who has been 

 very successful in his practice, fattens his 

 fowls thus : He shuts them up where they 

 can get no gravel. He keeps corn by them 

 all the time ; gives them meal, mixed up 

 with water in the form of dough, and in- 

 stead of water, gives them skimmed milk. 

 They become fat in ten days. If they are 

 kept longer than ten days they must have 

 gravel, or they will fall away. 



The attachment which fowls have for the 

 swill-tub shows clearly what articles will be 

 acceptable. Hence vegetables of any kind, 

 and grease of any sort, are greedily devour- 

 ed, and contribute greatly to fatten them. 

 So of molasses, sugar, and sunflower seed. 

 I do not believe that any one article is of it- 

 self best adapted to fatten, but should pre- 

 fer to vary the articles daily. It is most eco- 

 nomical tc boil everything given to fatten, 

 or even to feed them, and for the former 



