Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-06-16
FINISHING POULTRY
FOR QUALITY MEAT
From Surplus Cock
erclS.
USE REST rArrENING RATloNs
Important Suggestions on Forced
Feeding, killing, Dressing and
Packing Fowls for Shipment to
Market.
BY Fl. ARMSTRONG ROBERTS.

The aim OF every poultry keeper -
TO rear pullcts. This is especially true
Of those specializing in egg production.
The female OF the species is more de-
sirable than the male. because she is
tho more profitable She is the star
boarder. or. let us say, the star pro-
Queer. It is she who fills the egg
basket. Males are regarded moro or
less as necessary evil--a nuisance.
Yet no matter how hard We try to
mate our breeding pens so that tho
hatchos will have preponderance OF
females. as general rule 80 per cent
OF the chickens will turn out to be
cockerels. There is no escape from
this condition. 1t is natural law
over which we have no control We
cannot govern the sex OF any offspring.
and any System" designed TO do so is
msinfo"mation without basis In scien-
tihc fact and usually offered for some
pecuuiary again. Discard 1t.
Surplus cockerels are, therefore. dis
couraging 10 the beginner with poultry.
in that he soon finds out they are not
particularly profitable, If profitable at
all Fact is, many breeders complain
that their cockercls actually represent
liability. and sell for less than. the
cost Of production. Where such is the
case there is usually something wrong
with the management.
HOW TO HANDLE THE
LEAST MARi<ETABLE MALES
It must be admitted. OF course. that
under the most favorable circumstances
the returns from surplus cockercls are
not large, especially from males OF the
esg-layinS varieties. such as Leg horns,
Campines, Hamburgs and Minorcas.
These FOWLS are too small for meat
purposes. strictly speaking, and in con-
sequence they suffer a discount in
prices when offered for sale alongside
OF the heavier breeds.
la y,.- rs J, So
attributed 10 mismanagement. however.
inasmuch as the general run OF surplus
cockcrels are not fattencd and prepared
for market, or they are not marketed
at the right time or through the right
channels.
Most OF the commercial egg farms
sell their cockerels at an early age,
oifect from the range. profit or no
proht, regardless Of prevailing prices,
In order 10 &c; them out OF the way. re :
tanning only the most promising speci-
men n,rns ,,r Tor lure breeders Result,
fesh. and what there is OF il strinCy.
II not actually tough. because young
cockere!s are very active. and when
gwen to excessive exercise In this
manner, their flesh is not in prime con-
dition for table purposes Market poul
try must be confined and fattened a
p'acNce known as finishing. much the
same as hogs or beef cattle must be
tattened. or Il Will no, fetch good
prices.
This year particularly II Is mis-
take 70 force the cockercls on the mar.
iet al a sacrifice. when BY penninr
them up for few weeks on special
'atea!ns ration they can be made 10
gam IN weight and improve in quality
tteEvieT breeds can be held for several
months and sold as roasters. or they
can be caponizcd and made 70 bring
prices u.in
receipts are light.
March. APRIL and May are the best
months for Matching Leghorns, hence
The cociiere!s from these matches are
not ia!se enough TO be sold as b-oilers
or frying chickens until June or july,
tE which time prices usually suffer
SHARP decline. due 10 the heavy receipts
OF !esh-kilied poultry Breeders Of
heavier fowls have an ADVANTAGE in
inns respect because they usually hatch
q month or two earlier, conscuuentlv
their young stock can he made r.
"e!Eh Tour or nve pounds TO the pair
al time when broilers and fryers
Command top prices.
LEGHOItN COCKEREIS
ASbR SQUAD DROILERs
In some focanties there is a fair out
iet ior Leghorn Cockcrels as SQUAD
pfo!!]rs weighing about thrce-ouar-
iers OF pound each. They are some
times called asparagus chickens" be-
cause they come during the asparagus
reason, from April until June.
Leghorn breeders will do well 10 take
SnEantaSe OF this outlet whenever nos
siole, since IL usually means GOOD
prices Also, Il offers an opportunity
IeiieVe any congestion in the
Colony houses. for the pullets rus,
not be crowded az this time or ,h.v
VIII not make apid development
ne sex or tho lighter breeds can h.
,toiu at an early age; sometimes their
COMBS and watt!es show marked de-
Nei"ptncnt at five weeks. II the cock
fre!s are intended 10 be marketed thav
shonlh be separated from the pulle,s
az 'his tine and kept by themselves
~ permitted to run with older fo>yi,
tthe cockere!s are constantly bullied
Whc'rNpoi they do not leceive their
ul' shuFe OF food. II allowed TO ma.
su!e WITH the pul!ets in large mum.
hcfS. the males not only get the lone
N"i;e' unt they bother the pu!!ets 40
E-owth 'u''e's
C"ai'erels that are penned by them.
'ss ~ inc age Of two months live
Pe"cnfu!iy together require very ,i,,ls
S'tentl"n and II properly fed thev can
ne ihacc TO put on flesh very ,an,diy
- He i!cSh "i!i be tender and iuicv ana
ph place OF angular bodies they viii
t'~re plump well-round"d build
- PS'pie OI inns country arm p,oh
spiy the greatest consumers Of nonl,-,,
Gro esgs in the world, and Wei wc 40
Ja'd to be SATISFIED with A verv ,aor
squa!ity. The general run Of nonI,r,
@een IN the stores and on ho.aI ,ab,o.
Sn inns country is far below ma, $50
aNroad-in France. England. Pei,,ir,,,
l}enmark and so on. This is due 80 49, 49,
Hact that the foreigner nnishes bis
pVmi'ry' whereas we seldom do
rho common plan for ratte,i,c T.,
this country is 10 let the fowls 80 80,
Hhe corn they viii consu,n. fnr
aorpie OF weeks before na-to,,,
Ihis method does not produce n,ioo
i"h'e poultry in "a strict sense q. ,ne
Hcrrn Corn has a decided ,cntonc,. ' 80
put on weight but this SOFT OF way,,.
consists msiniy Of heavy dcDosi, .,
oily fat in loyers under tic sk,n an ~
in masses in the abdominal rnuInn
which is not particularly desirable ~,
asnucn as II does not really cons,j,n,,
edible Tuca,.
In fowls that are properly rat,o,.5
: thr excess weight is distributed In I'm,
.globuies % fat throughout al! the bojy
stissuca where II belongs, conscquen,II
On cooking this fat is not wasted hn.
ArcE1nrg