Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1912-08-20
AdU1ce
Fronz
The
POnIt1-y
D0cD1-

for the packers to put them into a
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 grade wheat flour.
Broilers bring almost twice as much
per pound than roasters when sold to
the poultry packers, 50 that many farm
ers would make more money if they
sold their cockercls when they weighed
from two to three pounds rather than
TO wait until Thanksgiving on Christ
mas time when there is always glut on
the poultry market.
All varieties and types Of chickens
are fattcned in this country, no special
attention being devoted to developing
strains or special types peculiarly adapt
ed to fattcning. Several breeds give
good results in fattening and these are
preferred by men who make a 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 a pound less for
light weight hens, thus discouraging the
farmer from keeping birds Of the Mcdi-
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
TlifI % rIGII1tE occurred NV 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 a more prOfita-
bic 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
Rod 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 fattcning
establishments. From six TO ten chick
ems are placed in the crate or battery
and given a light feed at the next rcgu-
lar feeding period. When the birds are
large. not over eight should be placed in
one division.
Ratlons For Milk Feeding.
Very good results i'm fattcning are Sc
cured in the following rations:
ca COrnmeal ..................,.. 60 lbs.
Low grade wheat tlour...... 40 lbs.
tbD tonmeal ................... IS lbs.
Oal Hour Observation-Disclosures. SO lbs.
TalloW Observation-Disclosures. lbs
(c) Wheat middlings (shorts) &C.. so lbs
Low grade wheat flour. 100 lbs.
tOrnmeal .........,.,,......l $50 lbs
The proportion Of cornmeal in the
third ration can be increased in cool or
cold weather.
MIX is used entirely in mixing these
rations. and is considered essential both
in this country and in England Con-
densed buttcrmilk is used to a Consid-
cradle extent in fattening, with very
good results. Fresh buttermil1. con-
dcnsed buttermik, 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 1t viii drip
from the tip of wooden spoon In very
hot weather. it is advisable to mix the
feed thinner than in cooler weather. and
results appear to indicate that one feed
daily of a 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 81 to
20 per cent and an average OF so per
cent, or uitlc 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 nTnSfr@ft,1 with IA. i