POULTRY FEEDS AND FEEDING 



this ration. The mash should be fed twice daily, giving 

 it in the morning and afternoon, and in addition, a light 

 feed of cracked corn should be given late in the afternoon. 

 Mix the mash to a crumbly consistency and keep fresh 

 water and grit before the chickens all of the time. 



These rations are adapted for either small or large 

 chickens, the length of the fattening period being adapted 

 to the age and size of the birds. Broilers may be con- 

 fined to a pen and fattened profitably for from 12 to i8 

 days but it rarely pays to fatten roasters longer than 

 from lo to 14 days. Hens should only be fattened for 

 from 4 to 8 days. Whenever the birds show signs of 

 going ofif their feed and do not gain in weight they should 

 be marketed at once. A good mash for fattening hens 

 is made of one part bran, 2 parts ground oats and 4 parts 

 corn meal by weight. This should be fed either with 

 milk or with green feed but it is not essential to use meat 

 scrap for fattening hens if they are only fed for a few 

 days. 



Capons and roasters termed "soft"' roasters are grown 

 and fattened in colony houses on free range as they have 

 a long growing period. "Soft" roasters are a distinct 

 product for which a special market has been built up 

 especially around Boston and Philadelphia. Chickens of 

 the larger breeds are hatched for this purpose in the fall 

 and winter. They are caponized and then grown and 

 fattened to be sold late in the following winter or early 

 in the spring when they will weigh from 5 to 9 pounds. 

 Birds for "soft" roasters are given free access during 



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