The Portland daily press., 1876-08-09
Fattening Poultry.

Various modes are in vogue for bringing
fowl forward to the best killing condition.
Forcing, examining and stutfing, are parts OF
the process in different countrie, and in diff
ferent portions Of countries, but we nave
considered the legitimate method the better
plan. In our experience, the least expensive
add the least troublesome way to fatten fowls
is from the beginning to feed well constantly,
and care for their comforts and needs from
the shell. A flock of chickens thuss attended
to, will at any time be in fine condition for
the gridiron or the spit. And when the time
comes about for killing the older birds Gin the
fall and early winter,) it requires but little
extra iced and proper attention for few
days to render them STAT" Without this
prior appropriate preparation, no criterion is
afforded as to how long it may take to put
them in presentabe condition, or how much
feeding in the more costly way may be neces-
sary to effect this. If the fowls have been
kept thrifty from chickenhood as recon-
mended, during the past year. they should
now be in good flesh; such as are designed
for market should be separated from the rest.
Place six or eight together in close coop
without roost-and sufficiently large to al
low them to move about without crowding
each other. The front of the coop or box
only needs to be lathed open. work; since dur
ing their future existence the more quietithey
prove, they need no exercise.
Now, give them plenty of fresh water, and
all they will eat fer two or three weeks in
these coops-and at the end of that time
they will be better fit for the butcher than
they ever will after this period. Cooked food,
and all they will devour, morning and night,
with cracked corn and wheat at noon, will
fatten healthy poultry in less time than any
other feed we have ever experimental with.
Tho oh cbp1rt6 ho Of
two parts. and boiled.potatoes one part. Into
palful of this meal and vegetable feed, well
mixed while hot, drop pound OF lard, tai
low or pork scraps, and mix this substance
thoroughly through the mess. Feed this
while warm, and give to each coop only what
the fowls will eat up clean at each meal. Be
sure that whatever animal food you feed is
perfectly sweet, otherwise it had better be
omitted entirely. A box of gravel should
constantly, for they need this to aid the pro-
cess of digesting their food, precisely as at
any time.
No green food is now desirable. All you
are aiming for is to put additional flesh upon
these fowls, and to do this in the shortest
possible time. So long as they eat we'll they
will continue in weight up to a certain peri
cd, treated in this manner, and two to three
weeks will bring them to their best. If they
become cloyed and lose their appetite at All
early date, after thus being cooped up, kill
them off at once. They have reached the
most profitable day of their existence, and
will no longer improve. In this simple way
we have fattened many previously well kept
fowls in three weeks time and have known
many hundreds thus fattened that have
dressed handsomely in some days less time.
Your birds when cooped up for this pur-
pose should be free from vermin, and during
| their confinement they must be kept Sc
P0ultru World.