388 The Feeding of Animals 



the carcass as found in the market, but that of the 

 whole body, bones, blood, feathers, and all the viscera. 

 The different parts of the body were all separately 

 analyzed. Separate analyses of four individual hens 

 each gave a close approximation to the average. The 

 composition of the body of a Leghorn pullet in full 

 laying was little different from the average for the 

 hens, being 55.4 per cent of water, 21.2 per cent of 

 protein, 3.4 per cent of ash, and 18 per cent of fat. 



The body of a mature capon (Plymouth Rock) con- 

 tained 41.6 per cent of water, 19.4 per cent of protein, 

 3.7 per cent of ash, and 33.9 per cent of fat. If the 

 extra amount of fat were removed the composition would 

 be very similar to that of the other fowls. In younger 

 and immature birds the percentage of fat is very much 

 less than in older birds. 



The egg, which, aside from the shell, is potentially 

 a chick, shows in the general proportions of the con- 

 stituents a striking resemblance to the body of the 

 grown bird. Of the dry matter of eggs analyzed, 

 aside from the shell, 49.8 per cent on the average was 

 protein, 3.5 per cent ash, and 38.6 per cent fat. Of 

 the dry matter of the bodies of hens 48.9 per cent was 

 protein, 8.6 per cent ash, and 38.5 per cent fat. 



Of the total dry matter in the entire egg 35.6 per 

 cent is ash, 25.9 per cent fat, and about 33.3 per cent 

 protein, or 38.5 per cent if estimated by difference. 

 The fresh egg with a good firm shell consists of about 

 11.4 per cent shell, 65.7 per cent of water, 8.9 per 

 cent of fat, 11.4 per cent of protein by factor, or 13.2 

 per cent by difference, and .8 per cent of ash con- 



