The Birmingham age-herald., 1915-12-19
Good Eating Qualities Make Milk-Feds Easy Sellers; :; Bring Higher Prices
By FRANK c. HARE Poultry Husbandman, Clemson College, South Carolina.

Within the last few years there has been evolved a new department i'll the poultry industry which has become a national factor in the commercial poul- try world. This new department is the milk feeding of chickens in crates. Throughout the country there are hun dreds of plants where anywhere from a dozen to 10000 chickens are fat tened by this scientific feeding meth od at one time.
 A livelier demand, a greater con- sumption, a better price and custom CTS fully satisfied are the results of this novel system of finishing chick ems for market. II marks the differ ence between a green and a finished product, between the product the critical buyer wants and what he has to accept because there is nothing bet ter at hand. FLESH TENDER AND JUICY
 Only those who have eaten prime milk-fed chicken, properly prepared for the table, understand the supe- riority of it's flesh to that of the we'll fed chicken allowed free range. In the case of the millS-fed the muscular tissues have been so softened by close confinement that a thick portion of cooked meat can be severed with the fork, whereas the activity of the chick en on the range maintains the tough ness and natural resistance ofs it's muscles. Globules of fat are distrib uted through the lean meat of every portion of the body of the milk fed, giving a delicious juiciness and flavor when cooked that is rarely found in any other fowl
 Milk feeding chickens is a simple undertaking that can be successfully conducted by anyone. It is money making business, because the chickens are not permitted to exercise and waste their food, and there should be no loss from disease.
 There are only four requisites: A supply of fattening crates in which the chickens are confined. suitable chickens for feeding, mixture of ground meal and q quantity of butter milk or we'll soured skim milk
 CONSTRUCTION OF CRATES
 Fattening crates are generally made about 10 feet long. IS inches wide and 22 inches high, and set on legs about 30 inches above the ground. Each crate is divided into four compartments to prevent the chickens from walking from end to end The floor is GOV cred with wire netting so that the droppings will fall to the ground. keep ing the crates sanitary. This wire net
 
 the birds. The back. ends and divi- sions are also covered with wire net ting.
 The front of the crate is covered with narrow laths nailed on vertically to provide sufficient divisions for all the chickens to eat at once from the V-shaped trough at the front of the crate This feeding trough rests on notched supports nailed to the ends of the crate, and should be remoV- able. The roof should project far enough over the crate to protect the chickens from rain.
 Place the crates outdoors in any sheltered location. under some trees or in an open shed. The chickens are confined closely and require abundant ventilation. One of these crates 10 feet long will accommodate 50 pounds of chickens-15 pounds to each com partment
 The most suitable chickens to milk feed are young Plymouth Rocks, Rhode Island Reds Orpingtons and Wyandottes, Crossbred and common or mongrel chickens fatten satisfactor- lily. Leghorn and other light breed cockerels are excellent for making Aries and should be finished when they weigh 12 ounces each. They do not milk feed profitably when confined at an older age.
 Chickens of any breed weighing from three-quarters to one pound each can be made into milk fed fries as plump and tender as quail. When Killed and plucked after the feeding process they weigh around one and one-half pounds and are served on toast by leading hotels. One chicken is split in half and supplies two guests The cost of each portion is from 75 cents to $1. Chickens of one and half to four pounds weight at off nc r,,n 1xe delicious broilers and roasters. Heav- fer spring chickens can be milk fed hut not as profitably. There is small gain in feeding matured fowls, except that which results from the improve ment of the quality of the flesh due to the confinement. Unless the IoWis are of poor flesh prior to the feed ing, there is almost no gain in weight.
 WELL FOOD
 one secret of success in milk feeding chickens is to use a palatable food that contains the proper constituents to maintain a normal condition during the confinement. The chickens must relish the food and eat it greedily. It must contain the proper balance oi protein and carbohydrates, otherwise the digestive organs will become de- ranged and feather plucking, loss oi appetite and disease will appear
 There are numerous mixtures o1
 
 Sneal suitable for the purpose, but We will mention the ration that has given the best results in IT years experience It is a mixture of equal parts by weight of corn meal. finely ground oats and fine wheat middlings. The oats should be ground so fine thai the hulls are scarcely visible but coarse ground oats with the coarser hulls sifted out. or a commercial pro- duct sold as siftings from ground oats can be substituted and low grade flour can be used in place of fine middlings Enough buttermilk or well souret skim milk should be added to mako the mixture thin, so that it will TUT from a spoon like rich cream. Do moi have the mixture thick and do no 2 use water to make it thin.
 FEED IN CRATES IA DAYS
 Place the chickens in the crats and give them nothing in the trough bu