Evening star., 1915-05-23
RAISING CHICKS FOR
BR0|LERS AND R0ASTERS
Timely Advice to the Amateur About
Best Methods of Rearing, Feeding
and Marketing for Profit.
How to Feed and Fatten Summer
Hatched Chicks to Get Big
gest Prices.
BY REESE v. HICKS.
Copyright. l915.)

Broilers may be divided into three
classes: Squad brolers, spring broil-
ers. or friers. and large broilers, or
small roasters.
SQUAD broilers have been In demand
only for a few years. and have become
quite delicacy in the centers of popu-
lation. They should weigh from three
quarters of pound to one and one
quarter pound. The best average is.
perhaps, a pound. If they weigh over
one and one-quarter pound. they be-
long In the spring broiler class. or
friers. These may go as high as two
pounds. The largest broilers are from
two to three pounds Any broilers
over three pounds should be classed as
"roasters." as they are too large to
broil successfully. The roasters run
from three pounds to the size of full
grown fowls, often as high as ten or
twelve pounds
The age at which a fowl can be mar
keted in the various classes of brollers
and roasters depends very much on the
breed as well as how they have been
pushed along. 1t is very important
that they be marketed as early as pos
sible. because the prices are better
early. and in addition. the longer they
are kept the more they cost, and with
some varieties they are liable to be-
come "stringy" and tough.
American Varieties Popular.
In America yellow skin and yellow
markets This means that the varie-
ties known as the American varieties"
such as Plymouth Rocks. Wyandottes
and Rhode Island Reds, make the best
roasters as well as broilers. For the
large roasters and soft roasters the
Light Brahma has long been a favorite,
owing to it's large growth and the fact
that it holds the tenderness of its flesh
until it is we'll advanced toward ma
turity- White Plymouth Rocks and
white Wyandottes are also used by
some farms for soft roasters. For
squad broilers by far the largest pro-
portion are young cockerels, mainly
Leghorns, that come from the CONNER
cial egg farms.
some farms take advantage of the low
price Of eggs and load their incubators
with eggs from which they hatch
chicks that are later used for broilers
for the broiler market. These late
chicks do not require any different
treatment from earlier Matched chicks,
except that of shade in climates where
there is extreme heat in the middle of
the day.
When the young broilers or roasters
are within ten days of the size when
they are to be sold on the market they
should be confined in a smaller pen for
fattening purposes. Before this they
should be given the same treatment.
care. range and attention as the other
growing chicks, but it is important
that the last ten days or two weeks of
their lives be given to fattening them.
BY the term "fattening" is not always
meant putting on surplus fattening
substance, but making the lean meat
fill with fat, so that 1t will be delicate
and toothsome.
The length of time required to fatten
fowl depends on the age of the fowl,
time of year, care and feed. as well
as the breed and kind of fowl. The
best results are obtained when they are
fattened for ten days or two weeks.
The smaller breeds should not be fat
tened over ten days. In many plants
the cost of fattening is estimated at
cents a pound gain, but owing to the
high price of feed at present. no doubt
this will be increased materially to s
or cents per pound gain.
Fatten in Pens or Crates.
1t will not pay the amateur poultry
raiser to use cramming and fattening
machines. but he should either use pen
or crate fattening methods. BY pen
fattening is meant confining the fowls
in small house. or a pen in a house,
allowing each about foot and a half
space. The feeding and watering
troughs are hung on the wall and the
birds are kept in fiocks Of fifty to sew
having Slated coops. usually several
tiers deep. The crate is usually six
feet long, eighteen inches high and
twenty inches wide. and will accommo-
date ten to twelve birds. There is
partition through the center and five or
six birds are kept on each side. The
Stats on the top and sides are two
inches apart. while on the bottom they
are usually an inch apart. A V-Shaped
trough around the sides is used for
under the above-described
is much softer than where
the birds are allowed free range.
How to Dress for Market.
Where it Is at all possible. poultry
raisers should dress the broilers after
them for, local market.
They should not be fed for twenty four
hours before they are killed. The best
method of killing is to insert knife
in the roof of the mouth. and by plung- |
ing it into the brain paralyze the bird. |
then cutting across the roof of the
mouth, sever the arteries and let the |
bird bleed freely. The bird is then
hung up by the feet with a cord and
picked quickly by plucking off the |
downward. The majority of
markets demand dry-picked fowls, but
some markets will pay as much for
those that are scalded as for those that |
are dry picked Scalding makes the |
skin spotted and discolors 1t, nor do
fowls keep as well if they are scalded. |
1t is easier and quicker picking to
scald than to pick dry. The majority |
IF markets demand poultry that is un-
lrawn and it will keep longer. Where |
fowls have to be sent a long distance |
10 market, it is necessary to grade |
them according to size and they have |
n ha 1