Chick Feeding Experiment

teresting is the consumption and cost of CHIOK FEEDING EXPERIMENT. The object of this short experiment was food per chick for the six weeks. In Pen No. 1, or the check pen, each to find the comparative feeding values chick conumed 1.06 pounds of feed at a and effects of buttermilk, commercial cost of $.0165. Pen No. 2 consumed 1.64 meat scraps, fish scraps and meat scrap pounds of feed at a cost of $.0243. Pen in addition to buttermilk, when fed to No. 3 consumed 1.58 pounds of grain and chicks. It was carried on by F. T. Ev- 3.26 pounds of milk at a cost of $.0308. ans, one of the senior students at Purdue Pen No. 4 consumed 1.49 pounds of feed University, as a thesis. at a cost of $.0236. Pen No. 5 consumed Five compartments of a one hundred 1.63 pounds of grain and 2.4 pounds of feet pipe heated Candee brooder house, milk, at a cost of $.0299. were used to keep five pens of fifty each, This made Pens 3 and 5 which were of White Leghorn chicks. The test was receiving milk, the most expensive ones run over six, seven-day periods from to feed per chick, but the consumption March 24 to April 28th, 1916. was also greater in these pens. The The rations of the pens were as fol- check pen consumed little food. lows: The weights and gains per chick give PEN NO. 1— evidence of the value of the feeds. The gains in pens 2—3—4—5 regularly 6 pounds, sifted cracked corn. increased each week. Pens 3 and 5 re4 pounds, ground wheat. ceiving milk, made more rapid gains dur, 2 pounds, steel cut oats. ing the earlier period, but the others 2 pounds, bran. tended to catch up with them in the last 2 pounds, shorts. two weeks. Pen No. 1 made very little PEN NO. 2— gain, and in one period actually lost weight. 6 pounds, sifted cracked corn. 4 pounds, ground wheat. The ration containing meat scrap was very palatable. The buttermilk was also 2 pounds, steel cut oats. very much liked, but the fish scrap was 2 pounds, bran. unpalatable. The mash that did not con2 pounds, shorts. tain meat scrap was not as palatable and 2% pounds, meat scrap. in the check pen, the chicks were never PEN NO. 3— satisfied. They were constantly hunting 6 pounds, sifted cracked corn. for something and spent much time runn4 pounds, ground wheat. ing up and down the pens, interested in the rations of the surrounding chicks. 2 pounds, steel cut oats. The buttermilk was fed in a drinking 2 pounds, bran. vessel, thus leaving all the mash dry. 2 pounds, shorts. The buttermilk seemed to keep the chicks 31 pounds, buttermilk. satisfied although they were complied to PEN NO. 4— eat a dry mash containing no meat scrap. 6 pounds, sifted cracked corn. As to the question of mortality, we 4 pounds, ground wheat. found in Pen 1, six dead; Pen 2, one 2 pounds, steel cut oats. dead; Pen 3, none dead,; Pen 4, three 2 pounds, bran. 'dead; Pen 5, two dead. 2 pounds, shorts. At the close of the third week, five 3 pounds, fish scrap. chicks in the fish scrap pen and four in the meat scrap pen, broke down in PEN NO. 5— ..their legs, and walked on the legs from 6 pounds, sifted cracked corn. the foot to the hock. Beginning the 4 pounds, ground wheat. fourth week, the chicks were allowed to 2 pounds, steel cut oats. run in an alfalfa patch 4 by 15 feet, and 2 pounds, bran. it was noticed that all these broken down 2 pounds, shorts. birds came up in five days. No chicks 1.2 pounds meat scrap. broke down in the pens receiving- milk, 15 pounds buttermilk and it was also noticed that the moratlity In pens 2—3—4—5, the number of was much less where milk was fed.. pounds of protein was exactly the same These figures indicate buttermilk to be and the nutritive ratio was about 1:4.1. the best source of animal protein during Pen No. 1 lacked in animal protein and the first six weeks of a Leghorn chick's was called the check pen. In this pen life, as shown by apparent health, vigor, the nutritive ratio was 1:7.3. This pen mortality and gains in weight. On two was used to check each of the other pens different occasions, the writer took in order to find the real and true value strangers into the brooder house and had of each of these sources of animal pro- them pick from appearance, the best looking pen of the five. Both visitors tein. The chicks were fed according to rec- chose the buttermilk pen as the best, ognized good methods and the manage- and the buttermilk and meat scrap pen ment of all five flocks was exactly the as next best and the check pen as the poorest. The birds receiving milk were same. The first set of figures that were in- by far the best feathered, smoothest look14

ing and appeared in- the best health. Tl i period melted tallow was added to the chicks in the check pen were weak, and batter at the rate of one ounce to every very unsatisfactory in appearance. After four chickens once a day. This helped the experiment closed, the mortality in to produce a whiter, fatter, and better the check pen was very severe. roasting carcass. A little less than 6 A. G. PHILIPS, Ind. pounds of grain were required for one. The majority of the chickens were sold to the retail stores in Winnipeg. The CO-OPERATIVE FATTENING OF FARM T. Eaton Co., Fort Garry Market, and W. J. McPherson received the bulk of CHICKENS. them. These firms do an extensive busiResults of the co-operative fattening of ness in dressed poultry. farm chickens which was carried on last The method of doing this work was fall at the Poultry Department of the not as systematic as it should have been Manitoba Agricultural College were very owing to the limited time we had in gratifying Upwards of seventy farmers preparing our equipment. No money had located in all parts of the province par- been appropriated for this work. The ticipated in the work. All told 1567 scheme was self-supporting. There was chickens were sold, bringing a grand a large amount of clerical work entailed total of $1559, or approximately $1 a in connection with the receiving, killing piece. 'About 75 old hens were sent in and disposing of the stock. A farmer which brought down the average price after making application, received notice considerably lower than it otherwise and instructions when and how to ship. would have been. The highest price re- Farmers had to supply their own shipping ceived for No. 1 stock was 25 cents per crates, but instructions were given on the pound, and the lowest 20 cents, while size and type of crate to be used for the highest price received for No. 2 stock shipping. He was asked to state the was 18 cents per pound and the lowest number sent, their weight and what 16 cents. These prices were for carcasses breed. On receipt of the shipment at the wiht heads and feet on and undrawn. poultry plant they were weighed, counted About 75 per cent, of the carcasses graded and put in numbered sections in the fattening crates. An entry was mad© of out No. 1 stock. these items along with the owner's name. The first chickens were received Oc- After they were properly fatted they tober 9th, and the last lot came in early were killed, dressed and marketed as milk in January. Throughout the entire per- fed crate fattened chickens, and usually iod of this work very good gains were sold at a premium. Aftr this the farmer made, but in a few cases there were prac- received his first payment. In the early tically no gains at all. The best gains part of the fall this was at the rate of were made where the chickens weighed 14 cents per pound live weight when they about' four pounds each, and where they were taken out of the fattening crates. exceeded this weight the gains were cor- We usually aimed to pay a cent or two respondingly lower. One lot of 50 Buff per pound higher than the ordinary marOrpingtons sent in by Mrs. Gill of Rath- ket price, live weight, thus giving the well, Man., gained 81 pounds in three farmer an inducement to send his chickweeks, and in quite a number of instances ens to the fattening station. Besides paywhere smaller lots were sent in the gains ing him this premium he has a chance were even better. to realize on the gains that the chickens Plymouth Rocks, Wyandottes, Orping- might make while in the fattening crates. tons and Reds were sent in many of them At the end of the fattening season the being well bred. The Barred Rocks were farmer receives his second payment after probably more satisfactory on the whole all expenses for handling his chickens than any of the other breeds in that had been charged up against him. T5ie they ate well throughout the fattening cost of feed and labor was ten cents per period, made good gains, and dressed out chicken, the cost of killing and plucking the largest percentage of No. 1 stock. was five cents each, and cartage one cent Some Leghorns and Leghorn crosses were each; or a total of sixteen cents for handsent in, but they were unsatisfactory ling each chicken. from both feeder and dealer's standpoint. Last season's work was confined enThe rations fed consisted of two parts tirely to chickens of the heavy breeds. of oats, one of wheat, and one of barley No Leghorns, old hens, ducks, geese or by weight. These were mixed', chopped turkeys were accepted, but in spite of very fine, and sufficient buttermilk was precautions quite a number of old hens added to make a batter that poured nice- were shipped in. Since the work was so ly. ' At the beginning of the fattening satisfactory from the farmer's standpoint period they were fed sparingly, but the we have decided to include turkeys this quantity was increased gradually so that year. They will be taken and fattened at the end of^a week they received all on the same basis as chickens with, probthey would eat%p clean in thirty minutes. ably an additional charge for the extra They were fed twice a day at regular feed and labor required. But positively no intervals. The last week of the rattening Leghorns, old hens, ducks, or geese will 15