What Constitutes A Profitable Poultry Farm

A rightly managed poultry farm, so located that the expense is not too great in marketing, is sure to be profitable. When farms are established near cities, the market practically is right at the door. Where farms are more remote from these city markets, a profit can be derived by shipping to the larger cities. In these days of excellent railroad facilities, any poultry plant within 100 miles of a city can reap the benefits of good prices, just as much as those located within easy drive. The cost of shipping is easily offset by the reduced cost of conducting such a plant away from highly taxable land. The poultrymen of South Jersey, as a rule, ship their produce to New York City — a distance of 100 miles — and they secure for it the same prices as do the poultry plants located in Northern Jersey, just across the river from New York City. Land is cheaper in South Jersey, and the general cost of operating the plant is at least ten per cent, less than that of a section more thickly populated and of higher property values. The foundation of all poultry farms is tgg production.

Successful broiler farms are the ones whereon eggs are produced. There is too much risk in buying eggs for hatching broilers. Such broilers as a rule are all sorts and sizes. But it is a mistake to rely solely on broilers. It is better to have a broiler and egg combination. There are seven distinct branches of poultry farming: Broilers, roasters, eggs, ducklings, goslings, turkeys and squab-pigeons. On a farm of about ten acres, where part of it is a grove or an orchard of large fruit trees, and where at a section there is running water so that a pond can be had, it will be found profitable to combine all these seven branches. A few incubators could be started in December for broilers and kept running until the last of May. Ducklings could be hatched from March 15th to July 15th. While hatching for broilers a number could be selected from the lot and fed and reared for roasting fowls. During April and May broody hens could be placed on turkey and goose eggs. The squab-pigeons would require no labor as to hatching and rearing the young, as pigeons attend to that duty themselves. In this way during the height of the season there would be broilers, ducklings and squabs for sale, and during the winter eggs, roasters, goslings and turkeys. Such a farm would accommodate 400 hens — 200 of which should be of the American class, as Wyandottes, Plymouth Rocks or Rhode Island Reds; fifty of the Asiatic variety, as Light Brahmas ; and 150 of the Mediterranean class, like Leghorns or Minorcas.

One hundred Pekin ducks would keep the incubators busy during the season. Two hundred and fifty pairs of Homer pigeons, mated, would produce all the squabs that the farm could take care of. Six pairs of geese and twelve turkeys and a gobbler, should produce sufficient of their kind to supply the local demand around the holidays. It does no good to have fine poultry to sell unless you can reach a fine buyer. Give your hens oats when you want eggs. They "feel their oats" the same as a horse when the supply is right. I see they have put Mary's lamb to running a cream separator. Poor thing! An incubator it seems to me would be easier. I never favored corn to be a first-class egg food. It makes the hens fat and lazy and they quit laying, especially when getting old.