Weekly graphic. [volume] (Kirksville, Adair Co., Missouri) 1880-1949, 1886-08-06
WEEKLY GRAPHIC
NRKsvILLE. MO.
I. E. Sublette, Proprietor
Friday, Aug. 6, 1856.
Feeding and Fattening.

It becomes an interesting won
der every year why the rural cot
tages of the United Kingdom do
no rear fowls almost universally,
seeing how little the the cost would
be and how great the demand. We
import many millions of eggs an
nually. Why should we import
any? After passing dozens of cot
tages on commons or in lanes in
England where the children have
nothing to do, and would be glad
of pets, you meet a man with gold
rings in his ears, who asks in bro
ken English to buy eggs from the
Continent Wherever there is
cottage family living on potatoes or
better fare, and grass growing any
where near them, it would be
worth while-to nail up little pent
, house, and make nests of clean
straw, and go in for speculation
in eggs and chickens. Seeds,
worms and insects go great way
in feeding poultry in such places;
aud then there are the small and
refuse potatoes from the heap and
the outside cabbage leaves, and
the scraps of all sorts. Very
small purchases of broken rice
(which is extremely cheap, infer
Tor grain and mixed meal would
do all else that is necessary. There
would probably be larger losses
from "vermin" than in better gar
ded places; but these could be well
afforded as mere deduction from
considerable gains. 1t is under
stood that the keeping of poultry
is largely on the increase in the
country generally, and even among
cottagers; but the prevailing idea
is of competition as to races and
specimens for the poultry yard,
rather than of meeting the demand
for eggs and fowls for the table.
The chicks most likely to fatten
well are those first Matched in the
brood, and those with the shortest
legs. Long legged fowls, as a rule
are by far the most difficult to fat
ten. The most delicate sort are
those which are put up to fatten,
as soon as the hens forsake them;
for, as says an old writer, ''then
they will be in fine condition, and
full of flesh, which flesh is after
ward expended in the exercise of
foraging for food, and in the in
crease of stature; and it may be a
work of some weeks to recover it |
especially with young cocks"
But whether you take them in
hand as chicks, or not till they are
older, the three prime rules to be
observed are sound and any vari-
Gus food, warmth and cleanliness.
There is nothing a fattening fowl
grows SO fastidious about as ais
water. If water any way fogl be
offered him, he will not drink 1t,
but sulk with his food, and pine j.,
and you are the while waaderin 2
the reason why. Keep them SCI J.
arated, allowing to each bird as
much space as You can spa re-;
spread the ground with sharp
sandy gravel; and take carea that
they are not disturbed. In dbl
ton to their regular diet of good
corn, make them cake of ground
oats OF, beans, brown sugar, milk,
and mutton suet. Let the cake lie
till it is stale, then crumble it and
give each bird a gill measureful
morning and evening. No entire
grain should be given to fowls dur
ing the time they are fattening:
indeed, the secret of success lies
IN supplying them with the most
nutricious food without stint, and
in such form that their d.iges-
tive mills shall find NO difficulty
in grinding it.-NIiss Mar tineau.