80 PODLTHT FEEDING AND FATTENINO 



will result. For best resultf?, a cramming machine is 

 indispensable^ during the last ten days, as the birds 

 will not eat half as much as they are capable of 

 digesting and assimilating at this time. With the 

 machine we insist upon and control the question of 

 gain, instead of leaving it to their uncertain and well- 

 satisfied appetites. 



The above formula is the best I know of for pro- 

 ducing the finest quality of meat and a white finish. 

 If a yellow finish is desired, the corn meal can be 

 increased and the ground oats decreased up to equal 

 parts, but the birds do not stand up nearly so well under 

 it. They also become irritable and indulge in feather 

 pulling and quarreling. When fed in troughs the above 

 materials, after having been thoroughly mixed dry, a 

 suitable quantity is stirred into sour skimmilk or 

 buttermilk, and made just stiff enough to not run. 

 For machine feeding it is mixed to the consistency of 

 cream. In the latter case the fowls need no water, as 

 there is sufficient liquid in the mixture, but in trough 

 feeding give them coarse sand for grit three times a 

 week and water to drink twice daily. 



N"either water nor sweet skimmilk will take the 

 place of sour milk or buttermilk in the feed. It would 

 cause bowel disorder unless an abundance of green food 

 were fed with the sweet milk, which would make it 

 safer, but this would be troublesome and unsatisfactory. 

 Water will not answer at all. 



THE STOCK TO USE 



The most desirable birds for fattening are Ply- 

 mouth Eocks, Wyandottes or Orpingtons. A cross of 

 Light Bralima with Eocks or Wyandottes also makes a 

 very desirable bird and finishes very nicely, taking on 

 flesh rapidly and making a fine appearance on tlie 

 stalls. The common mixed stock as it comes from the 



