CHAPTER VII. 

 GROWING EARLY BROILERS. 



The early bird catches the worm. 



Early eggs, early sitters ; early sitters, early chickens ; early 

 chickens, early eggs and early profits. Tim. 



Broiler chickens are chickens of suitable size for 

 broiling. The size established by convenience and 

 custom is a weight of one to two pounds each. When 

 much above this weight they pass as roasting chickens. 

 ''Squab broilers" must not exceed three-quarters of a 

 pound dressed. They sell best during January and 

 February, and can be grown in about two months. 

 The demand comes from wealthy private families and 

 high-class hotels and restaurants. 



The market for broilers opens soon after the New 

 Year begins but is not at its best until asparagus 

 appears. From the middle of March to the middle of 

 June, a period of three months, there is generally a 

 brisk demand for them. With the beginning of July, 

 light-weight broilers are little called for, heavier 

 weights are wanted, aud as the weight goes up the 

 price goes down, so that the poultry keeper finds it to 

 his interest to keep his birds and feed them until they 

 reach the " roasting " size, say six to eight pounds per 

 pair. Growing broilers is winter work, as they must 

 all be hatched and reared during the most unfavorable 

 season for such operations. Hatching begins in No- 

 vember and ends with April, for the chickens, except 



