The Birmingham age-herald., 1916-05-28
On Egg Farms They Are Considered a Nuisance, But They Can Be Made a By-Product - Much De bends Upon the Feeding and Care Along Market Poultry Lines
By PROF. JAMES B. NORMAN Former Expert for the United States De
 partment of Agriculture

l are COckerGlS. f1SilCc HlOSt fhNSt~t0 l fowls want to know how these cockerel= | can be turned to profitable account. Ic point out how this can be done success l fully is the purpose of this article
 | When bullets are raised for egg prooue- l ton, they can produce no income TOT at ! least seven or eight months. Even aitec they have begun to lay, it takes some time for bullets to produce enough egss to provide a profit above cost of teeo'
 But this is not the case with cocKereis' Instead of being 'unisance," as many poultry keepers say, cockerels may De turned into cash at a substantial proht in fo1r or five months from the time they are matched. And in so oolns 'heS will help to support the outlets. A DIFFERENCE IN BREEDS Cockerels of the heavier, dual-purpose breeds of fowls are better Tor Hiahiiis
 profits than the lighter and more actiVe
 breeds. White and Barren rlyniot .sa e, Rocks Rhode Island Reds, Wyandottes and Orpjngtons are excellent. breeds for the quick development of h1gh-class tapie
 fowls Surplus cockerels from any or these breeds grow rapidly after feaciins the age of two and one-hal1 to tnree months These breeds of fowls are not
 so active and restless as Leghorns All conas, Minorcas and many others.
 The tendency of very active cockerels is to develop muscles instead of putting on flesh. Consequently, the flesh of ac- tive fowls is more or less strlngy TOT food purposes. This is especially the case if the cockerels have free range
 To overcome this tendency, it is well to closely confine cockerels Of the more ac- tive breeds. If this is done, there VIII be no great difference in the meat quail ties of cockerels from all breeds of fowls.
 But many poultry raisers, from lack or room or to avoid the trouble of caring for their cockerels a sufficient lehgtn ol time to make their most rapid groWth dispose of them as flyers when SIX weeks or two months old. This is too early 10 make them profita ble. Unless young cock ereIs can be put on the market as flyers
 very early when prices are high, they practically cost to raise all they bring on the market. Only a few poultry rals- CTS having special facilities for matching and raising chicks very early can nope to make fryers profitable when marketed so young as six weeks. Their profits come
 from the much higher price fryers, sold to a select trade around Easter tlme anu up to the last of May
 With the great majority of poultry Keep CTS, however, matching hardly begins un- til the middle or last of March, contlnu- ing to about the end of May. Under these
 conditions cockerels cannot be sold as fryers until in June or July. By that time the market prices have declined. Cock
 erels cannot be sold as flyers then at a easonable profit because young chicks need more care and grow less rapidly during the first two or three months of their life It is mistake to sell coekerels, except for a special early trade, until they are at least four months old.
 SEGREGATE THE COCKERELS
 As soon as their sex can be determined the cockerels should be penned by them selves There are several reasons TOT this If allowed to run with older fo"is
 they do not get their proper share or food for normal growth. If young pull lets and cockerels run together, especially after they are three months old, the cock erels get more than their share of food at the expense of the bullets which may
 become stunted.
 If cockerels are placed by themselv. $ when about three months old, they grow up quite contented, are peacably in clined, require less attention, and put on flesh rapidly if properly fed Since they are confined, they do not run to muscle.
 The flesh of cockerels kept under these conditions is almost as tender and juicy as the flesh of capOns.
 This is especially the case with cockerels Of the heavier breeds of fowls. When killed and dressed for maket. they pre- sent an unusually attractive appearances; they command the best prices as flyers or young roasters.
 If the poultry raiser's pen space is linn ited it is good practice to dispose of older fowls or double up some pens to make a pen for the cockerels. This has been my own custom and 1t has worked satisfactorily The coclSerels come along at time of year when this can readily be done. Before the breeding season comes around again, the coclSerels have all been sold. Then the yard and house can be thoroughly cleaned and made ready for breeding fowls the following season.
 The object of feeding coclSerels is to put on flesh as cheaply and as rapidly as possible. The poultry keeper wants them to pay profit on feed and labor. To accomplish this the cockerels must be fed plenty of protein. The function of protein is to form flesh; the function of carbohydrates Is to generate heat and fat. In summer and early fall, the cock erels need less carbohydrates and more protein. Thus corn is highly carbona- ceous feed. An excess of corn, especially in summer. has the effect of overtaxing
 the liver But this would upset tho very object one has in feeding cockerels for flesh. ts'
 FEEDS EASY TO DIGEST