LJiSSONS ynOM I'OItBlGK EXPEUTS 97 



special buildings required for tliis purpose are very 

 cheap affairs and not at all large. Two-thirds of the 

 fattening is done in the open air. He rears only a small 

 portion of the chicks which he fattens, and has a man 

 who goes, around on certain routes every two weeks, 

 collecting chicks from farmers, who raise them to about 

 three and one-half poimds live weight. 



The coops in which the chicks are put for fattening 

 are about six and one-half feet long, sixteen inches wide 

 and sixteen inches high inside. Each coop is divided 

 into three compartments and in each one of these are put 



Fig. 10 — ENGLISH FATTENING PEN 



five chicks. The coops are made of sticks or rods with 

 a sliding door in front of each compartment. (See 

 Figures 16 and 17.) 



The chicks are fed al^out three weeks, but some- 

 times longer or less, according to their condition when 

 received, and the activity or dullness of the market. 

 They are fed on oats groiind very fine, the Ivilh being 

 pulverized until they are almost like dust. This is 

 mixed with skimmilk, either sweet or sour, but prefer- 

 ably sour, to a consistency of thin porridge, so that 

 it will drop but not run off the end of the spoon. It 



