MAIXE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMEXT STATIOX. 43 



are fed in small lots in lattice coops just large enough to hold 

 them. (2 J Four weeks is about the limit of profitable feeding, 

 both individually and in flocks. (3) Chickens gain faster while 

 young. Birds that are from r50 to 175 days old have uniformly 

 given comparatively small gains. (4) The practice of success- 

 ful poultrymen selling chickens at the earliest marketable age 

 is well founded. The spring chicken sold at Thanksgiving time 

 is an expensive product. 



The experiments clearly indicate that it is profitable to fatten 

 chickens in cheaply constructed sheds or in large coops wath 

 small runs for about four weeks and then send them to market 

 dressed. In quality the well-covered, soft-fleshed chickens are 

 so much superior to the same birds not specially prepared that 

 the former will be sought for at a higher price. The dairy 

 farmer is particularly well prepared to carry on this work, as 

 he has the skim milk which these experiments show to be of so 

 great im.portance in obtaining cheap rapid growth and superior 

 qualit}' of flesh. 



FEEDTXG THE LAYIXG PULLETS. 



The feed of all adult birds, whether pullets or not, consists 

 of two essential parts: (a) the wdiole or cracked grains scat- 

 tered in the litter, and (b) the mixture of dry ground grains 

 which has come to be generally known as a dry mash. These 

 two component parts of the ration and the methods of feeding 

 them will be considered separately. In addition to the grains 

 and dry mash, 03'ster shell, dry cracked bone, grit, and char- 

 coal are kept in slatted troughs, and are accessible at all times. 

 Plenty of clean water is furnished. About 5 pounds of clover 

 hay cut into 1-2-inch lengths is fed daily to each 100 birds 

 in the breeding pens during the breeding season. When the 

 wheat, oats, and cracked corn are given, the birds are always 

 ready and anxious for them, and they scratch in the litter for 

 the very last kernel before going to the trough where an abun- 

 dance of feed is in store. 



It is very evident that the hens like the broken and whole 

 grains better than the mixture of the fine, dry materials ; yet 

 they by no means dislike the latter, for they help themselves to 

 it, a mouthful or two at a time, whenever they seem to need it, 

 and never go to bed with empty crops, so far as noted. They 



