LESSONS FROM FOREIGN EXPERTS 



99 



and for the first few clays be fed from a trough, finish- 

 ing off by the crammer. 



Before a bird is crammed, the crop should be felt, 

 and if there remains any food in it from the previous 

 meal, no food is given until the next time of feeding. 

 Observations should be made as to the quantity assim- 

 ilated, so as to give a fowl each time as near as possible 

 just about as much as it can digest. Should a bird 

 show any sign of sickness, it should be placed in an 

 open run for twenty-four hours without food. To aid 

 digestion, grit may be given in a dish before each pen, 

 and boiled nettles mixed with the food two or three 



*-<vsW(S 



Fig. 17 ENGLISH FATTENING SHED 



times a week as an aid in keeping the blood cool. 

 Young chickens may be fed three times a day, but for 

 older birds twice a day is much to be preferred-. 



It is customary in England to give a small quan- 

 tity of fat during the latter stages of the process, and 

 this is found to give a softness to the flesh which is very 

 desirable, but the amount should not be large, or the 



