FEEDING PRACTICES AND APPLIANCES 395 



period was 4.13 pounds and at the end was 7.24 pounds, mak- 

 ing an average gain of 47.77 per c6nt. The average feed con- 

 sumption per bird for the period was 11.38 pounds of Corn, 

 5.88 pounds of ground corn, 6.7 pounds of meat scrap and 

 0.4 pound of grit, shell and charcoal combined. 



Pen Fattening. — ^The final finishing of fowls for slaughter is 

 usually the work of the packer rather than the grower. It 

 is accomplished by milk feeding in crates. Farm-fattening, 

 when practised at all, is usually limited to penning the birds 

 intended for market so as to limit their exercise and feeding 

 them for a period of from one to three weeks on a somewhat 

 wider ration than is given for growing or laying, and increas- 

 ing the amount of mash, moistening it if necessary. 



Because of the fact that the final finish is put on by the 

 packer, fattening on the farm is usually unnecessary if the 

 birds have been properly fed for laying or growth. A hen in 

 prime laying condition usually carries" a considerable amount 

 of fat, and a rapidly growing bird will make more gain in 

 weight by growth than will be taken on in the form of fat. 



When for any reason stock has been restricted with regard 

 to feed or because 6f unfavorable conditions the chickens are 

 not in good flesh, it will be found profitable to feed mature 

 stock for a limited period upon a ration consisting largely of 

 corn and corn meal before killing or selling for food purposes. 

 Care should be taken, while encouraging the fowls to eat 

 a large amount of feed, not to overdo the matter. It is well 

 to supply all the accessories of the ration, including grit, shell, 

 and charcoal, as with other classes of stock, and to furnish 

 succulence and animal feed by way of variety. 



Milk Fattening. — ^Milk fattening refers to the practice of 

 forcing the laying on of flesh with fowls by feeding a ration 

 which consists of about two-thirds buttermilk by weight. 



So far as the author can ascertain, milk fattening was 

 first practised in this country in 1900. During that year 

 S. Brill, a large poultry dealer from London, spent the fall 

 months at the St. Joseph (Mo.) plant of Swift and Company 

 and fed 1200 birds by way ot demonstration. The following 

 season he supervised the feeding of seven thousand head, 

 since which time milk feeding has had an enormous growth. 



