i6 Money in Broilers and Squabs. 



Given healthy life and intelligent attention, the little chicks may 

 be expected to start with one and a quarter ounce in weight — ^for the 

 production of life causes a loss of just about one-half the weight of 

 the egg, says an exchange. At the end of one week the chick should 

 weigh two ounces ; two weeks, four ounces ; three weeks, six and a 

 quarter ounces ; four weeks, ten ounces ; five weeks, fourteen ounces ; 

 seven weeks, twenty-three and a half ounces ; eight weeks, twenty- 

 eight ounces ; nine weeks, thirty-two ounces ; ten weeks, thirty-six 

 ounces. 



"Asparagus chickens" are large enough to broil with early as- 

 paragus. They are hatched in late July and August, pushed along 

 till November, then killed and put in cold-storage for the winter. 

 They are taken out and eaten in Spring. 



Poultry commission merchants say that one reason why a great 

 many shippers are disappointed in the prices they receive on good 

 poultry is that they persist in shipping stock of sizes which are not 

 in demand. 



The New York city markets will take poultry either scalded or 

 dry-picked. Boston market wants only dry-picked stock. Chicago 

 markets prefer chickens, ducks and geese scalded, and turkeys dry- 

 picked. 



The commission merchant does not fix the price. He can only 

 obtain what his customers allow. When the market is full, the cus- 

 tomers have a larger stock from which to select, and they always 

 select the best, leaving the second-class stock to be sold at hazard- 

 ous prices. 



Thomas F. Jager says the broiler industry is considered, by 

 men who have experimented in this line long enough to be entitled 

 to a standing, as one of the main sources of profit in the market 

 poultry business; especially, if the turning out of birds can be ac- 

 complished prior to the hand-raised stock, as furnished the cities by 

 the farmers or small land owners. 



The first essential, continues Mr. Jager, in order to succeed 

 as a broiler man or woman — for this branch holds great promises for 

 the gentle sex — is to have good healthy breeding stock. That means 

 stock not hampered or forced while young, or where the parents 

 have been inbred to get a certain lacing or tip to the feather. The 

 broiler man does not care a rap for the plumage condition of his 

 breeding stock, as long as the natural vigor and stamina and char- 

 acteristics to impart to the offspring plumpness of body are found. 



Farm Journal says, in calculating what young broilers wi" 

 weigh when prepared for market, get the live weight and deduct 

 twelve per cent, and you have the dressed weight. 



W. Theo. Wittman, in American Poultry Advocate, says: 

 "Squab broilers for home consumption are easiest dressed by skin- 

 ning. Slit the skin along the back, and taking oS both skin and 

 feathers is the work of only a minute, while picking the feathers 

 and pin feathers oflF a lot of squab broilers is the work of hours. 

 Boiled for a few minutes in salted water, and fried in butter, gives 

 you a dish equal to frogs' legs." 



