INCREASE OF FLESH ON YOUNG CHICKENS. 5 
The total initial weight of all the birds when feeding began is 
comparable with the " initial live weight" of the commercial feeder, 
and the total live weight of all the birds when ready for slaughter is 
comparable with the " final live weight" of the commercial feeder. 
The difference, in pounds, between the "in" and u out" weights is 
given in Table 3. For example, the "in" weight of 100 birds on 
Ration C was 171 pounds and the "out" weight 231 pounds, or a 
gain of 60 pounds to the 100 head. For broader usefulness the 
results have been expressed also as percentage of gain, taking the 
initial live weight as the basis of comparison. Ration A, corn meal 
and water, gave a total gain of only 5 per cent; Ration B, corn meal 
and buttermilk, gave a gain of approximately 30 per cent; while 
Ration C, corn meal, distillers' grains, and buttermilk, gave a gain of 
about 35 per cent. 
QUANTITY OF FEED REQUIRED. 
It is essential that the ration used for fleshing chickens be palatable 
to them. Birds will starve rather than eat a distasteful feed. The 
experiments have shown that Ration C is eaten eagerly and the 
birds do not tire of it. The appetite at the end of the experiment 
was even better than at the beginning, quite the reverse of the 
usual condition. The birds ate more, by weight, of Ration C than 
of either Ration A or B, as is seen in Table 4. At the end of 14 days 
378 pounds of Ration A, 458 of Ration B, and 474 of Ration C had 
been consumed. 
Table 4. — Feed consumed by 100 head of young chickens. 
Feeding 
period. 
Feed. 
Ration 
A. 
Ration 
B. 
Ration 
c. 
Days. 
[Grain 
Pounds. 
47.8 
Pounds. 
48.8 
73.2 
Pounds. 
49.1 
73.6 
4 
j Water 
59.7 
Total feed 
107.5 
122.0 
122.7 
("Grain 
97.7 
102.1 
153.2 
103.4 
Buttermilk (10 per cent solids) 
155.2 
8 
121.8 
Total feed 
219.5 
255.3 
258.6 
("Grain 
133.9 
143.3 
214.9 
146.9 
220.3 
11 
167.1 
Total feed 
301.0 
358.2 
367.2 
168.1 
183.2 
274.7 
189.4 
284.2 
14 
209.6 
Total feed 
377.7 
457.9 
473.6 
Under any circumstances the amount of feed eaten is very much 
greater than the amount of flesh produced, because a large part of 
the food of an animal must be used to keep it warm and maintain 
the body functions. The excess eaten may or may not be deposited 
