Fattening- and Killing Table and Export Poultry. 
75 
cover. Coops to contain one bird in each compartment will be found most effectual, as the chickens by this 
means obtain all the food intended, but, if cdiifuied in a cooj) which contains a dozen or more birds, some 
are certain to be short of condition just when required, and the plan of a CQOp for each bird will prevent the 
birds quarrelling and fighting, this latter would be detrimental to the process of fattening, causing constant 
excitement at a time when they should be kept as quiet as possible. The coops should not be more than 
12 inches in width, the ends and divisions made of galvanized iron, tacked or nailed to wooden frames the 
required size. The fronts of the coops made of upright wire lengths fixed in a frame of stouter wire, 
with two lengths of wire across each division, and — see Fig 45 — two inches longer on the left side, these can 
be turned downwards at right angles, and make a good hinge to swing in a socket screwed on to the division, 
Fig. 47. — Barred Wooden Bottoms for Fattening Coops. 
or wire staples i inch in length will answer the same purpose. The upright wires in front are placed two 
inches apart, and the feeding troughs (see Fig. 46) should be placed on a ledge running the whole length and 
outside the coops, the birds feeding through the bars. The floor of the coops should be made of wooden bars 
(see Fig. 47) rounded on the uppermost side and V shaped at the bottom (this will to a great extent prevent 
the excrement clinging to them), the bars should be placed one inch apart and run end to end along the 
bottoms of the coops. If made in sections on frames the coops will be found easy to pack away when not 
required. The walls and sides of the house w'ould answer for the back, and the whole could be fixed together 
with hooks and eyes, underneath the bottoms of the coops a rough shelf of boards, supported on trestles, is 
required to catch the excrements. This could be scraped or cleaned as occasion demanded, and should be 
Fig. 48.— Fattening Coops complete, with Movable Table underneath to catch excrements. 
placed about a foot below the coop, so as to be easily attended to. The whole of the coops should be placed 
on trestles 4 feet in height, or on a portable frame bolted together. Fig. complete 48. The larger coops, 
where it is desired to fatten a number together, could be made on the same plan, but it will be found on trial 
that the single divisional system of fattening coops will be the best to bring the birds on uniformly and 
quickly. The system used in France is to keep the birds in coops so small that they cannot turn round, 
compelling them to remain in the one position. Where cramming is practised this is necessary, but for 
fattening Poultry suitable for the export trade the single division system, explained in this chapter will sufifice. 
Scrupulous cleanliness must be observed in the fattening pens, as any bird suffering from Vermin is certain 
to become irritable, besides likely enough infesting the whole lot in the coops. After each batch is fattened 
