_THE JOURNAL 



OF THE 



BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



Vol. XII. No. 5. 



AUGUST, 1905. [NEW SERIES.] 



GROWTH OF CHICKENS AND COST OF REARING. 



During the spring of 1904 a series of experiments and 

 observations was made at the College Poultry Farm, Theale, 

 in connection with the University College, Reading, as to the 

 growth of chickens and cost of rearing, commencing in February 

 and concluding on May 31st of that year. These experiments, 

 which were recorded in a report published July, 1904, gave 

 comparative figures as to two lots of chickens with thirty birds 

 in each, namely, thirty white VVyandottes and thirty cross-breds. 



In order to check the results then obtained, a further series of 

 experiments was commenced in March, 1905, and concluded on 

 July 5th of the same year. But in this case, four lots of chickens 

 were kept under observation. The mortality in the chickens 

 was very slight, only one death occurring in lots 1 (April 15th), 

 2 (May 15th), and 3 (June 16th), and no deaths in lot 4. As 

 seen below, these losses were regarded as part of the cost of 

 rearing. 



Management. — The chickens were treated throughout ir 

 identically the same manner : — 



1. All the chickens were hatched from eggs produced b)i 

 stock kept on the College Poultry Farm ; 



2. The hatching was exclusively in incubators of the same 

 class ; 



3. Each lot was hatched on the same day (April 4th, 1905) 



4. When dried off (twenty-four hours after hatching), each 

 was accommodated in a brooder of the same Cxass ; 



5. For two weeks they were kept in heated brooders without 

 grass runs ; for two weeks longer in heated brooders with 

 limited grass runs ; and for one week longer in the brooders 

 without heat ; 



