BULLETIN 657, U. S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



of 1-j^y pounds. Very few were pure bred, but practically all had a 

 predominant utility breed strain. Barred Rock blood was the 

 most common. Birds showing markedly low vitality or deformity 

 or sickness were excluded, but a commercial liberality was exercised 

 in selecting stock for the feeding cages. Such a selection is advan- 

 tageous when feeding large numbers of birds, and should be prac- 

 ticed as a part of routine management. Birds which are not adapted 

 to gain weight ordinarily lose weight, regardless of the care given; 

 hence to feed them is a loss to all concerned. They should be 

 slaughtered as soon as received. 



As a general rule the nearer the poultry packing house feeding 

 station is to the farm, the better. A haul, generally by train, is, 

 however, often necessary in the transfer of feeder stock from the 

 farm to the feeding station. Accordingly, all the birds used in these 

 experiments were subjected to a haul requiring from a few hours 

 to more than 24 hours. The birds were selected as promptly as 

 possible after arrival, placed in the feeding cages, and fed corn 

 meal and buttermilk for 24 hours, to eliminate stuffed crops, undue 

 thirst, and restlessness, before beginning to feed the three experi- 

 mental rations. 



The cages were entirely of metal, with compartments for indi- 

 vidual birds, and feed cups so constructed that the splashing of the 

 thin feed was impossible. In essentials they were comparable with 

 the feeding batteries in commercial use, one of which is shown in 



figure 2, Plate I. 



TOTAL GAINS IN WEIGHT. 



All the birds were fed for 14 days. To determine the rate of gain, 

 the birds were weighed on the first, fourth, eleventh, and fourteenth 

 days, The results in detail are shown in Table 3, in which 13 experi- 

 ments, comprising from 30 to 42 birds each, are summarized. The 

 experiments were begun in May, and were repeated until October 

 that the climatic conditions might have their usual effect on the 

 birds. Each group of birds is designated in accordance with the 

 ration received as A, B, or C, respectively. 



Table 3. — Summary of changes in weight of 100 head of young chickens. 



Initial number of chickens 



Period of fleshing (days) 



Death loss (percent of initial number) 



Initial live weight (pounds) 



Final live weight (pounds) 



Total gain in live weight: 



i rence between final and initial live weights (pounds) 



Calculated as percent of initial live weight 



Dressed weight (pounds) 



Chilled weight (pounds) 



Average initial live weight (pounds) 



Average final live weight (pounds) 



Average dressed weight (pounds) 



Average chilled weight (pounds) 



1 Average weight of the surviving chickens 



Ration 



Ration 



Ration 



A. 



B. 



c. 



100 



100 



100 



14 



14 



14 



2.4 











172.1 



169.7 



171.1 



180.7 



221.3 



231.0 



8.6 



51.6 



59.9 



5.00 



30.41 



35. 01 



162. 7 



199.0 



207. 3 



161.8 



197.7 



205. 8 



1.7 



1.7 



1.7 



i 1.9 



2.2 



2.3 



« 1.7 



2.0 



2.1 



i 1.7 



2.0 



2.1 



