388 POULTRY PRODUCTION 



Feeding Broilers. — When the young males are to be dis- 

 posed of as broilers they are frequently forced a little more 

 rapidly than the pullets or males intended for breeding 

 purposes. The feeding of broilers may for convenience 

 be divided into three periods: (1) growing, (2) forcing, and 

 (3) fattening. 



The growing period is generally about four weeks, its 

 length varying somewhat with the breed, the time of hatch- 

 ing, and the size at which it is desirable to market them. 

 The early-maturing breeds are usually forced somewhat 

 earlier than the slower-growing kind. 



During this growing period a regular growing ration is 

 fed. It should be continued until the chicks have become 

 well established physically and are well past the danger of 

 the ordinary little chick ills. 



The length of the forcing period is also variable and for 

 the same reasons as the first period. 



The forcing ration usually differs from the growing ration 

 for chicks of the same age by carrying a larger proportion 

 of protein which may be accomplished, as Philips suggests 

 (see page 382), by increasing the proportion of ground 

 feed. The chicks must be watched carefully for any indica- 

 tion of digestive disorders which sometimes arise when the 

 proportion of protein or of mash is made too great. If 

 possible the increase in protein should be brought about by 

 adding cottage cheese to the ration rather than by increasing 

 the meat scraps. By doing this the ration may be made 

 narrower without upsetting the digestion, than may usually 

 ' be done with the aid of meat scraps. 



During the fattening period the method and rations 

 described under milk feeding may be used (see page 395). 

 The fattening period for broilers is usually not longer than 

 twelve days and is frequently limited to eight. The time 

 of feeding depends somewhat upon how long the chicks 

 " stand up" to the fattening ration without losing their appetite. 



Where the broilers are not intended for private trade 

 they should not be milk-fed but penned up and corn-fed 

 for a period of two to three weeks. They will then be in 

 good shape for the milk feeding at the packing house. 



