POULTRY FEEDS AND FEEDING 



by the size of the chickens and the weather conditions. 

 Hot weather in the summer makes conditions in the fat- 

 tening stations unfavorable, while wet, cold weather in 

 the fall is also undesirable. The fattening season usually 

 runs from August i to November i, depending upon the 

 size of the chickens and the market demand. 



DRESSED WEIGHT OF POULTRY 



The shrinkage after killing and picking without draw- 

 ing (only blood and feathers removed) averages about 

 1 1.5 per cent in the fattening stations for the broilers, 

 the shrinkage increasing gradually with the size of the 

 chickens to 15 per cent for those averaging about 3^/^ 

 pounds in weight. With hens the shrinkage is greater 

 than on smaller chicks, averaging 13 per cent. Chickens 

 which are especially fattened show a slightly lower shrink- 

 age when killed and picked than do those not fattened. 

 In experiments conducted at the Pennsylvania State Col- 

 lege (Bulletin 87, Pennsylvania State College) White 

 Wyandotte Cockerels gave 60.99 P^"" cent of their live 

 weight as flesh and 8.97 per cent as feathers, 7.78 as 

 head and feet; 7.42 as bones of the body; 6.78 as intes- 

 tines; 4.49 as giblets and 3.57 as blood. White Wyan- 

 dotte Pullets gave 65.45 per cent of flesh, 6.07 as feathers, 

 7.75 as head and feet, 6.29 as bones of body, 6.62 as in- 

 testines, 4.64 as giblets and 3.20 as blood. White Leghorn 

 Cockerels gave 56.75 per cent flesh, and White Leghorn 

 pullets 58.67 per cent flesh. 



Pullets have a larger per cent of edible flesh than cock- 



38 



