﻿THE COMMERCIAL FATTENING OF POULTRY. 31 



( rains were produced at 1.89 and 1.41 cents, respectively, per 

 pound cheaper in 1911, and 6.30 and 2.68 cents less in 1912 on broilers 

 than on roasters, in two experiments. 



There was great variation in the results secured in fattening. 

 This was due to the difference in the ability of the buds to take on 

 flesh, to their weight, and to the effect of weather conditions. The 

 variation in birds makes their selection in fattening of considerable 

 importance, if the labor of the extra work can be handled economi- 

 cally. The influence of the weather in fattening allows a chance of 

 error in comparing fattening experiments conducted at different 

 times. 



The bleach produced by fattening with buttermilk varies according 

 to the amount of milk solids consumed by the birds. 



The average cost of fattening hens in November and December was 

 10.92 and 8.74 cents in 1911 and 10.83 and 10.43 cents in 1912, 

 respectively, per pound of gain at two stations. This is higher than 

 the average cost of fattening chickens for the entire season at the 

 same stations but less than the cost of fattening chickens in Novem- 

 ber and December. Hens cost 7.7 cents per pound in 1911 and 10.3 

 cents in 1 912, into the feeder, so that their flesh can be bought cheaper 

 than produced at this time of the year. Cheaper gains were secured 

 in fattening hens in 1911 on the rations used in fattening chickens 

 than on a ration of corn chop with 15 per cent of shorts mixed with 

 buttermilk. 



Chickens cost 17.6 cents per pound into the feeder in July, 1911, 

 while the gains cost 7 cents per pound at this time; in November, 

 1911, they cost 9 cents per pound into the feeder, and the gains cost 

 10.5 cents per pound. This influences the profit in fattening and the 

 best length of tune to fatten, making it advisable to feed longer in 

 the first part of the season. The cost of picking, grading, and packing 

 (including freezing) was about 7 cents per head, making the total 

 average cost of a pound of dressed poultry in July, 20.5 cents, which 

 gradually decreased through the season to 13.1 cents in November, 

 1911. 



The best results were secured with the following three rations: 

 No. 1, 3 parts of corn meal, 2 parts of low-grade wheat flour, and 1 

 part of shorts; No. 2 ; 3 parts of corn meal and 2 parts of low-grade 

 wheat flour, and No. 3, 5 parts of corn meal, 3 parts of low-grade 

 wheat flour, 1 part of shorts, and 5 per cent of tallow. The same 

 feeding value is secured in a ration of 3 parts of corn meal and 2 parts 

 of oat flour but at an increased cost of 37 cents per 100 pounds of 

 gain. Four parts of corn meal, 2 of low-grade wheat flour, and 1 of 

 shorts gave very good results during the latter part of the feeding 

 season, or in cool weather; that is, the proportion of corn meal and 

 low-grade wheat flour may be increased in cool weather. 



