262 



Growth of Chickens. 



[AUG., 



Table III. — Thirty White Wyandottes. 



Average Weekly Weights and Increases, with Atmospheric Conditions. 









Total 



Temperature of 









Average 

 Gain in 

 Weight. 



Average 



Outside 





Week ending. 



Average 

 Weights. 



Gain in 

 Weight 



Atmosphere. 



Remarks . 







to 

 Date. 



Max 



M in 





1905. 



Oz. 



Oz. 



Oz. 



Defr F 



Dejr F 





April 5 



1 '33 

















,, 12 



1-63 



03 



o"3 



54 



43 



Dull and sunless. 



,i 19 ... 



2*34 



0-71 



10 



46 



41 



Some rain. 



26 ... 



3-31 



0-97 



1 -98 



55 



47 



Very dry. 



May 3 ... 



7-17 



3-86 



5-84 



61 



37 



do. 



,, IO 



8-83 



i-66 



7*5 



66 



38 



do. 



„ 17 - 



io'69 



i-86 



9-36 



66 



35 



Little rain. 



24 ... 



1279 



2*1 



11-46 



62 



34 



Dry. 



„ 31 ••• 



I7*i7 



4-38 



15-84 



85 



53 



Hot and dry. 



June 7 



20-48 



3"3i 



19-15 



75 



46 



do. 



„ 14 ... 



23*14 



2-66 



21-81 



84 



47 



Heavy rains. 



„ 21 ... 



26-96 



3-83 



25-63 



67 



55 



Some rain. 



„ 28 ... 



28-24 



1-28 



26-91 



84 



52 



Very dry. 



July 5 - 



32-9 



4'66 



31-57 



70 



53 



do. 



From Table III. it will be seen that the average gain in 

 weight in the first four weeks, including the loss of the bird 

 which died on April 15 th, was 5*8 oz., in the second four 

 weeks 10 oz., and in the final five weeks 15*7 oz. The 

 'average cost per bird in the first four weeks was 0'92d., in the 

 second four weeks 2'4d., and in the final five weeks (inclusive 

 of grit for the entire period) 3'5d. The climatic conditions, as 

 shown in the above Table, do not afford any explanation of the 

 variations in growth. On the whole, the night temperature was 

 well maintained. 



The weight of the thirty birds when twenty-four hours old 

 was 2 lb. 8 oz. At the close of the experiment, the twenty-nine 

 birds, then thirteen weeks old, weighed 59 lb. 10 oz., so that the 

 average gain in weight was 1 lb. 15 J oz. 



With regard to their respective weights at thirteen weeks 

 old, 29 birds averaged 2 lb. 1 oz. The 14 cockerels averaged 

 2 lb. 2 oz., and the 15 pullets averaged 2 lb. The greatest 

 gain was 2 lb. 6 oz., and the least gain 1 lb. 12 oz. 



Variations in Growth. — The birds varied in weight on 

 July 5th from 29 oz. to 39 oz., as follows : — Five weighed 29 oz. 

 each ; one, 30 oz. ; four, 31 oz. each ; four, 32 oz. ; five, 33 oz. ; 

 four, 34 oz. ; three, 37 oz. ; two, 38 oz. each ; and 1, 39 oz. 



