The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1886-09-29
System of Fattening Fowls.

DR.. Bennett says, according to his ex-
perlence, feeding houses, at once warm
and airy, with earth floors well raised,
and capacious enough 10 accommodate
twenty or thirty fowls, have always sue
ceedcd best The floor may be slightly
Uttered down, the litter often changed,
and the greatest cleanliness observed.
Sandy gravel should be placed in several
different layers and often changed. a
sufficient number of troughs for both water
and food should be placed around, that
the stock may feed with rs little inter-
ruption rs possible from each other, and
perchcs in the same proportion should be
furnished for those birds which are in
clincd to perch, which few of them will
desire after they have began to fatten,
but which helps to keep them easy and
contented until that period. In this mode
fowls may be fattened to the highest
pitch aad yet preserved in healthy
State, their flesh being equal in quality 10
the barn door fowl. To suffer fattcning
fowl to perch IS contrary to the general
practice, since it is supposed to bend and
dcform the breast bone, but as soon as
they become heavy and indoient from
feeding they will rather incline to rest in
straw, and the liberty of perching on the
commencement of their cooping has a
tendency to accelerate the period when
they are inclined to rest on the floor.
It has always been favorite maxim
among breeders that the privation of
light-by inclining fowls to constant
state of repose-excepting when moved
by the appetite for food, promotes and
accelerates obesity. 1t may possibly be
30, though not promotiye of health; but
as it is no question thata state of obesity
obtained in this way cannot be state of
health. real question arises whether
the flesh of animals so fed can iuai in
flavor. nutriment and solubility that of
the same species fed in natural way?
Pecuniary and market interests may, per-
haps, be best answered by the plan of
darkness and c!ose confinement; but q
feeder for his own tblc, Of delicate
tastes, and ambitious of furnishing his
board with the choicest and most salu-
brious viands, will declare for the natu-
raj mode of feeding; and, in that view,
feeling yard graveled and sown with
the different kinds Of grasses, thereon
being open all day for the fowls to
retire at pleasure, will have decided
preference as the n Arrest appr1a> b to the
barn door system.
Insects and animal food also form a
part of the natural diet of poultry, are
medicinal to them in weakly state, and
the want of such food may somtimes i'm
pede their thriving.
Impractical and practicable plans have
their peculiar advantages; among others.
that of leaving poultry to forage and
shift for themselves. But where steady
and regular profit is required from them,
the bestmethod, whether ordomestic use
or sale, is constant high keep from the
beginning, whence they will not only be
always ready for the table with vc:y little
extra attention, but their flesh will be
superior in juicincss and rich flavor to
those which are fattcned from low and
emaciated state. Fed in this mode, the
spring pullcts are particularly fine, at the
same time most nourishing and restora-
tive foUd.--NeW York MraLl