76 



Poultry Fattening. 



[may, 



cut out of a solid piece of wood ; but two pieces of wood 

 placed at right angles so as to form a broad V, and then 

 closed at each end, answer the purpose. These may be 

 held in position by hooks and eyes where there are several tiers, 

 as each trough, except that in the lower tier, rests on the roof 

 of the pen beneath. In the case of the lower tier, two projecting 

 pieces of wood will answer the same purpose, hooks and eyes 

 being again used to hold them upright. At Heathfield they 

 often hang by cords. The troughs should be kept scrupulously 

 clean, no stale food being allowed to remain in them. 



Temperature. — Experiment has proved that the best tempera- 

 ture at which to keep birds, so as to secure the greatest possible 

 increase of flesh, is 6d deg. Fahr. If the birds are kept in an over- 

 heated, overcrowded, stuffy shed, they will not fatten at all 

 easily or well. On the other hand, if the sheds are draughty 

 and cold in winter time, a good deal of the birds' nutriment 

 goes towards supplying them with tlie heat that could easily be 

 provided by a proper system of ventilation and adequate 

 protection from the cold. 



Single Pens U ndesirable. — Birds do not fatten well if confined 

 by themselves, as they are apt to pine. They thrive much 

 better when four or five are penned together, as, being 

 somewhat greedy, the sight of other birds eating causes each 

 bird to strive to obtain its share. This proves a healthy 

 stimulus to the appetite, and far more is eaten than would 

 be the case were the birds penned singly. 



Gam in Weight. — Experiments have been undertaken from 

 time to time to determine the weight gained during the fatten- 

 ing period. There may be even a loss during the first few days 

 as birds do not always take to the new state of things. But if 

 weight is lost during the first week, it is usually more than 

 compensated for by the gain made in the second week. 



During the first week there may be a slight loss or gain of 

 weight, varying up to, say, lo oz. The greatest gain is nearly 

 always made in the second week, and may be anything up to 

 \\ lb. During the third week the gain is not nearly so great, 

 but may be as much as \ lb. Very few birds can stand 

 more than three weeks' fattening, and if kept for four weeks 

 they will probably lose weight, or gain very little, perhaps to 



