FATTENING THE COCKERELS. 



The Advantages of Properly Fattening the Surplus Cockerels 



— ^Why Some Fatten More Readily Than Others — Care 



of the Cockerels During the Process— The Best 



Food for the Purpose — Marketing the 



Fattened Specimens. 



I By H. A. Nourse. 



In spite ofithe fact that editors and contributprs are con- 

 stantly urging breeders of poultry to market their surplus 

 cockerels early in the season, it is true that by far the greater 

 number are sent to market in October, November and Decem- 

 ber. In some cases it is necessary to delay this work until 

 the season is well advanced. The breeder of fancy poultry 

 can do no more towards culling his flock than to remove 

 specimens that are disqualified for malformation until the 

 youngsters have become nearly mature, or at least well 

 grown. He must therefore market such of the cocjcerels as 

 he would not sell for exhibiting or breeding well toward the 

 end of the season. More than three-quarters of the young 

 stock that is shipped to market goes forward in thin to medium 

 flesh and has to be offered at low prices. On this account 

 it happens that the poultryman who carefully fattens his 

 birds and ships them to market in excellent condition secures 

 premium prices. That it pays to give some attention to this 

 fattening business is obvious. For example, suppose we 

 have ten cockerels running about the place which are in the con- 

 dition of flesh ordinarily found when the usual care and food is 

 given. These cockerels will weigh, when prepared for mar- 

 ket, perhaps five pounds each and command, we will say, 

 12 cents per pound, or $6.00 for the ten birds. If these 

 cockerels are properly fattened they can be placed upon the 

 market weighing seven pounds each, and in the same mar- 

 ket should command 15 cents per pound, making the lot 

 worth $10.50. This gives a profit of' $4.50 to pay for the 



