Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-20

From
The
Poultry
Doctor

for the packers To put tHeIi lIl'
feeding station, but the bulk OF the
chickens produced on the farm are too
thin to make first-class dressed poultry
without special fattening.
The farmer could produce a much
better quality of chicken and make
more money if he would feed his chick
ems regularly before marketing, or con-
fine those to be marketed for two or
three weeks, and feed freely either on
corn or on a mixture of one part wheat
shorts, two parts of corn meal and three
parts Of low grade wheat -four.
Broilers bring almost twice as much
per pound than roasters when sold to
the poultry packers, so that many farm
ers would make more money If they
sold their COCkerels when they weighed
from two to three pounds rather than
TO wait until Thanksgiving or Christ
mas time, when there is always glut on
the poultry market.
All varieties and types of chickens
are fattened in this country no special
attention being devoted to developing
strains or special types peculiarly adapt
ed to fattening. Several breeds give
good results in fattening, and these are
preferred by men who make spe-
cialty Of fattening poultry in the fol-
lowing order: Plymouth Rocks, Wyan-
dottes. Rhode Island Reds, or taken as
a whole birds of the general purpose
class. The poultry packers often pay
from one to three cents pound less for
light weight hens, thus discouraEing the
farmer from keeping birds Of the Medt-
terranean class, such as the Leghorn
and MinOrCas.
The common practice in poultry pack
ing houses is to feed each lot seventeen
DAYS or less. The market or trade sup
piled and the results secured by the
feeder determine the length of the feed
ing period Most milk fed chickens are
fed fourteen days, but results secured
in feeding indicate that more profita-
BILE gain can be secured In a shorter
feeding period. provided the same price
per pound can be secured for the fin
ished product As the feeding season
advances the tendency among feeders is
to shorten the length of the feeding pc
riod, reducing it as low as seven days In
many cases.
Crate fattening from troughs is the
method of feeding employed in this
country by most of the large fattening
establishments. From six to ten chick
ems are placed in the crate or battery
and given a light feed at the next regu-
lar feeding period. When the birds are
large, not over eight should be placed in
one division.
Rations For Milk Feeding.
Very good results in fattening are Sc
cured in the following rations:
(a) COrnmeal Observation-Disclosures. so lbs.
Low grade wheat flour. ...... 40 lbs.
CD Cornmeal Observation-Disclosures. So lbs.
Dat flour .............,..... SO lbs.
TallOw NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.. 6 lbs.
(c) Wheat middlings (shorts) &C.. so lbs.
Low grade wheat flour. ..... 100 lbs.
Cornmeal ..............s.,..l5 $50 lbs.
The proportion Of cornmeal in the
third ration can be increased in cool or
cold weather
Milk Is used entirely in mixing these
rations and is considered essential both
in this country and in England Con-
densed huttermilk is used to a consid-
cradle extent in fattening, with very
good results. Fresh buttcrmiIk. con-
densed buttermilk, and skim milk are
preferred, in this relative order. The
milk produces the bleach appearance
which is characteristic OF milk-fed
chickens and is a trade asset.
The feed is mixed to the consistency
Of thick cream. or so that it will drip
from the tip of a wooden spoon. In very
hot weather. ii is advisable to mix the
feed thinner than in cooler weather. and
results appear to indicate that one feed
daily of thin mixture with one or
two thicker feeds makes the best feed -
ing system The percentage of milk
used seems TO depend on the kind OF
grains in the mixture, on the weather
and on the feeder. 1t varies from SIS to
20 per cent, and an average of 80 per
cent or a trIhe higher seems to give
very good results. A good many birds
die when on feed, especially during GER
tain seasons. The loss is greatest dur
ing hot summer weather, when the birds
become Frustrated with the heat. and
later during October eand November,
when many Of the birds develop some
form, Of sickness.
Lessons From Crate Feeding.
Some of the conclusions drawn from
the study of the fattening Of poultry
are given below:
1. The Plymouth Rock and other va