102 POULTRY FATTENING. 



seriously retard their development, and prevent their 

 making good specimens. After two weeks are over, 

 then the object is to put as much flesh as possible 

 upon the chickens, and to accompUsh this he chiefly 

 uses Spratt's chicken-meal and ground oats, but every 

 particle of the food is mixed with milk, a little fat 

 being added daily. So quick is the development that 

 upon this food the birds are ready for killing when a 

 month old, and the weights vary from 6 to 8 ounces 

 each. Of course they are kept well sheltered and 

 protected from atmospheric influences, if these be 

 unfavourable to growth. To this end early in the 

 season a chicken-house would be necessary, where 

 the birds would have plenty of room, yet be perfectly 

 sheltered. 



Mr. Devereux informs me that the demand has of 

 late years greatly increased, and the period of the 

 year when petits poussins are sold is from early in 

 April to the beginning of July. After that time they 

 are never asked for at all. Eecently the English 

 supply has grown to some extent, and he, at any 

 rate, does not obtain any foreign birds, except there 

 has been a specially large inquiry, when he has wired 

 to France for a supply. His experience is that English 

 birds are vastly superior to those from abroad. The 

 chicks obtained from Prance vary very much in size, 

 being chiefly legs and wings, and not having nearly 

 the same amount of breast meat as those bred in this 

 country. As a rule West End customers insist upon 

 aU the birds they buy being of the same size, and 

 consequently greater trouble is experienced in sorting 

 those from abroad, as they send all sizes and ages to 



