268 



FEEDING 



not mixed too wet or sloppy. Supplement this with a ration 

 of equal parts cracked corn and wheat. 



Rations for Fattening Fowls. — Fowls can very easily and 

 quickly be fattened if kept in close yards in flocks from 10 

 to 25. They should be given a cracked grain ration of equal 

 parts of whole com and wheat, three times a day. This can 

 be scattered over the bare ground, where they will eat it 

 up quickly. Broilers and fowls should not be especially 

 fed for more than two weeks, as they will reach their maxi- 

 mum weight in about 12 to 14 days, and after this will 



Fig. 149. — Cockerels being fattened in a homemade fattening crate. The 

 trough along the front is for the feeding of very moist mashes. No water is given 

 during the feeding period. 



begin to lose. Special care must be exercised to keep the 

 yards in clean and sanitary condition. 



Crate fattening (Fig. 149) is a mode of bringing roast- 

 ing chickens into prime condition for market. The cus- 

 tom is to confine the birds in specially constructed coops 

 or crates, which are light, portable, and easily cleaned. The 

 standard fattening crate is about eighteen by twenty-four 

 inches square, and fourteen inches high, and will hold from 

 four to six chickens. These crates usually have movable 

 floors to facilitate cleaning. The bird in poor condition 

 will gain much more rapidly in weight than the one which 



