THE CHICK BOOK 



are hung in a cool, dark room until the following morning, 

 when they are packed and shipped to market." 



There Is Profit in Broilers. 



That there is good money made in raising broilers a 

 careful study of the business reveals. There is a great 

 demand for this class of poultry meat, and of the best grade 

 there is never a sufficient supply; furthermore, the demand 

 is constantly increasing and will be still further increased 

 by a better average quality of broilers marketed. Another 

 point in favor of broiler raising is that the work-season of 

 broiler raising for the highest prices comes at a time 

 when other work is slack, hence the time utilized in 

 the broiler raising is not wanted in other departments of 

 the poultry work. Take advantage of the highest prices of 

 March, April and May, and produce the very best quality of 

 broiler chicks, and the resulting profits will be eminently 

 satisfactory. 



The Best Varieties for Broilers. 



The best broiler chick is one that is grown quickly and 

 fattens readily, is tine-boned and plump, full-breasted, has 

 a rich, yellow skin, and the strong constitution that will 

 stand forced feeding. Undoubtedly the American breeds 

 most nearly fill the bill. The white and buff varieties have 

 the added advantage of freedom from dark pin feathers. - 



Visits to" the great market poultry raisers south of Bos- 

 ton reveal many varieties of stock, used with the Light 

 Brahma most in evidence; this is probably due to the fact 

 that while raising broilers for market they are by no means 

 exclusively broiler raisers, but grow large numbers of soft 

 roasting chickens and capons. Next to the Light Brahmas' 

 a cross of Barred Plymouth Rock male on Light Brahma 

 female is popular, and the well-known market poultryman,j 

 Mr. J. H. Curtis's, places the White Plymouth Rocks at the 

 very top of the list for all-around utility qualities. The 

 same can be said of the "May R. Poultry Plant," while the 

 Mr. Twining quoted above grew his broilers from Barred 

 Plymouth Rock eggs bought of farmers living in his neigh- 

 borhood. In all cases excepting possibly the "May R. Poul- 

 try Plant" the stock described is "farmers' " stock of the 



varieties, and would no doubt he found lacking in some 

 points essential in show birds. 



DifEerent Kinds of Broilers. 



Frequent mention is made of "squab broilers," and yet 

 we do not recall ever seeing them quoted in the market 

 reports. Generally the squab broilers are little six or seven 

 weeks old chicks that weigh, dressed, three-quarters of a 

 pound to one pound each; they are split down the middle 

 and broiled for individual orders in high class hotels, res- 

 taurants and clubs. Mr. Duston tells us he "sold hundreds 

 weighing eight ounces each," which is half a pound, and are 

 the smallest broilers of which we have ever heard. There 

 is a quite steady sale for squab broilers throughout the 

 year, but, practically, all the trade is in the hands of dealers 

 who have the finest private family trade and that of the 

 swell hotels and clubs. 



The broiler of commerce is a one and a half to two 

 pound chicken, is split in half and served, broiled 

 ("grilled") to two customers; a half to an individual cus- 

 tomer. In a few instances we have known of these tender 

 morsels of chicken flesh being stuffed and roasted, then 

 split in halves and served to two individual customers. 



A change has been gradually coming ahout, in the intro- 

 duction of prepared (mixed) chick foods, and these special 

 foods have given remarkable results in quick growth. Mr. 

 Twining (quoted above) told us he couldn't grow a two 

 pound broiler in eight weeks; that it took him nine weeks 

 (on an average) to grow a one and a half pound broiler 

 and about eleven weeks to bring them to two pounds weight. 

 In the frontispiece of August, 1903, R. P. J. are shown some 

 White Wyandotte chicks that grew to two pounds apiece at 

 eight weeks old, and those chicks were not "forced" at all; 

 they were fed one of the special chick foods and made the 

 splendid growth there chronicled in the natural manner. 

 Obviously there is a decidedly greater profit in two pound 

 chicks at eight weeks old than in two pound chicks 

 at eleven weeks old; we cut off a fourth of the labor 

 and food-charge, and coal for heat, at a stroke. We have 

 seen that there was a goodly profit in the plump and juicy 

 broiler that grew to two pounds weight in eleven to twelve 

 weeks; it is easy to see a still greater profit in the same 

 product grown in eight weeks. A. F. HUNTER. 







!«?<{;&'/#>■■' 



■^m^-^ 





A View Shewing Some of tAe Colony Houses Used by tlie Poultry Department of the Maine Agricultural Experiment Station, 

 Where Much Good Work Is Done In the Interest of Profitekie Poultry Raising. 



