1909] The Poultry Industry in Germany. 



25 



chickens can be sold about four or five days earlier than 

 formerly at the same price. 



The fat chicken industry in Winsen is almost entirely in 

 the hands of quite small holders. The annual production is 

 from 300,000 to 400,000 chickens, which go almost exclusively 

 to Hamburg. It is not unusual for one small fattener to 

 supply from 200-400 chickens in the winter months at a 

 price of g^d.-nd. each. In Ramelsloh and some other 

 places in the district there are establishments attached to 

 small holdings which supply 700-800 chickens. No diffi- 

 culty is experienced in disposing of them, dealers collecting 

 them from the fattener. 



A somewhat analogous industry exists at Diepholz, in 

 Hanover, where young goslings are hatched for fattening 

 in winter. The Diepholz goose possesses the peculiarity of 

 laying eggs in winter, which property has been greatly 

 improved by selection. The laying period begins in Sep- 

 tember and October, and continues with intervals to January, 

 and with some birds even to February and March. The 

 goslings are kept by the breeders till about six weeks old, 

 when they are bought by fatteners. The price obtained is 

 5s. -6s. in the early months, and 35. -3s. 6d. in February- 

 March. The fat goslings are nearly exclusively supplied to 

 Frankfort. The milk chicken industry also exists in the 

 neighbourhood of the Dummer See, near Lubeck. Here the 

 Ramelsloher breed is kept, and this breed is also crossed with 

 Faverolles. The chickens are sold at Bremen, 



Another centre exists in the district of Delmenhorst, in the 

 Duchy of Oldenburg, where it has been carried on success- 

 fully for many years by small holders, cottagers, factory 

 hands, &c. About 2,000 geese, 2,000 ducks, 30,000-40,000 

 chickens are sent away yearly to Bremen and Berlin. 



Production begins in September-October and ends in 

 April-May, the principal hatching time being from November 

 to March. The newly-hatched chickens, as soon as they 

 are dry, are taken away from the hen and placed in a basket 

 near an oven. For the first day they receive only milk and 

 dry groats; on the second or third day they are placed in 

 fattening coops, and then receive barley meal mixed with 

 curdled milk, and occasionally also some dry groats or buck- 



