Fattening and preparing poultry for the market are important items in
rural economy. Plenty of sweet food and pure water given at regular
times, and the fowls not allowed to wander, are the requisites of
successful fattening. The best feed for fattening fowls is oat-meal.
Next to this is corn-meal. Three things are essential in food for
fattening animals, flesh-forming, fat-forming, and heat-producing
substances. Of all the grains ordinarily fed, oat-meal contains these in
the best proportions, and next to this comes yellow Indian corn meal.
Fat is good, but must be given in a hard form as in mutton or beef
suet. Rice boiled in sweet milk, fed for a day or two before killing
fowls is said to render the flesh of a white delicate color.
At least one third of the value of poultry in the market depends upon
properly preparing and transporting it.