42 POULTRY FA TTENING. 



chickens. When we come to understand the figures 

 representing the operations of a good-sized fattening 

 establishment, it will be seen how large is the number 

 of birds passing through it. For instance, supposing, 

 as an example, a moderate-sized fattening establish- 

 ment accommodating, say, fifty dozen birds at one 

 time. During the busy season, this means 200 birds 

 will be marketed each week, and half that number at 

 other periods of the year. It will thus be apparent 

 that at such a place nearly 8,000 birds must be dealt 

 with annually, the hatching and rearing of which 

 would be a big operation. 



When we turn to Prance we find that much more is 

 done in the way of rearing and fattening combined, 

 but in that country fattening establishments generally 

 only finally finish off the birds, which are partially fat 

 when purchased, and, this being so, the work is some- 

 what simplified. Even there we have met with a 

 number of places which are purely for the purpose 

 of fattening, no rearing at all being attempted, but 

 pvu'chases are made from the farmers and cottagers 

 within a given radius. But the finest specimens are, 

 as a rule, produced by those who undertake the entire 

 work. In the La Bresse country this is especially the 

 case, and there farmers' wives are wonderfully skilful, 

 and market finer chickens than do the fattening 

 estabhshments. As a rule from 50 to 200 is the 

 annual output on such farms, and they are killed, 

 plucked, and shaped by the breeders. It is necessary 

 to make these facts clear, because I am constantly 

 being consulted by people who think of taking up 

 rearing and fattening, but have pot realised the 



