The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1881-04-21
Profitable Poultry Keeping.


Profitable Poultry Keeping.
The general suspension of laying 10y
the hens during the cold weather this
winter, has shown the effect which cold
has upon them. Hens will not lay in
cold weather, unless they are kept warm
and have access to sunshine. Yet unless
they can be made to lay in cold weather,
the profit from keeping them will be
greatly diminished. The experience of
this winter should be sufficient to make
it plain to all that warm quarters must
be provided for the hens, in order to at
tain to the highest degree of success.
Hen houses made with single walls do
not keep the fowls warm. There should
be double walls of .jointed boards, and
the space between filled with sawdust,
shavings. spent tan, or something of the
kind. Then by having the house we'll
banked, to keep the winds from blowing
under, the walls resting on a ditch filled
with small stones, to keep the earth floor
drained, and the south side covered large
ly with glass to admit plenty of sunshine,
the hens may be expected to lay. pro-
Nided food is suitable.
That there is a profit in keeping hens
when eggs sell for from twenty to thirty
cents per dozen and the hens lay well, is
admitted by all who knoWanything about
the matter. \ local paper in Rhode
Island publishes an interesting statement
by {. ID. MctfetTick. OF the profits during
the year 1850 for keeping 100 hens, in
cluding five ducks. In January there
were produced PA eggs in February.
] .~G1 in March, >, ltl2; in April. SOB
IN MAY. $50: in June, 55S; in July.
l.l~5 in August, | ,203 in September,
l.Il4; in October, 10; in November,
i'll: in December, 425; total, 1866
eggs. 1t will he noticed that in January,
February and March the largest number
If eggs of any months in the year were
produced, and the eggs are generally
nigh through these months. The total
number OF eggs shows that each hen pro
dutcd little over eighty two eggs each
during the year. evidently not a very
.arLe number. The average price recciy-
ed for the eggs was twenty-five cents per
loZem The ducks eggs were all set un-
Ter the hens. The following shows the
receipts and expenditures
- -
50 ducks at 2SJ 90
s.5 chickens at ..---.------ }61 30
4 pounds duck feathers at lUe.-.-..-----. II 90
FH pounds hen feathers at lUC.-.----.--.. , 90
Total receipts ...--.--...-..--..... 5999 Is
430 bushels clrn at Toe. 81 q 20
Near scraps ....-..... J 90
ro,ai.-..-.-. -....---...---.....-..@ SO 90
Net profit ---....---s s IA. Il
These figures are worth looking at by
hose interested in poultry keeping. 1t
will be observed that the net profit is
aearlv four dollars for each hen kept. If
l3t that profit could be realized, it would
pay as we'll as anything kept on the farm.
in order to make the raising OF chick
rus profitable, they must he hatched
ear,y in the spring, and then fed we'll
tbout all they will eat-to keep them
growing rs fast as possible all the time,
So as to send them to market early and Sc
are q fancy price for them When
chickens can be got ready for the market
% September, and twenty to twenty-five
cents per pound obtained for them, there
profit in raising them, even though all
Tho food toI them is purchased BY hay
ing warm quarters for the hens in winter,
So as to obtain good supply of eggs for
sale at high prices, and by raising chick
eus feeding we'll and marketing early,
poultry keeping can be made profitable.
Poultry raising affords an opportunity
tor boys and girls to make little money,
and give them useful instruction in the
care of domestic animals. Women in
feeble health will often find that looking
after a large flock of poultry by keeping
them In the open air part OF the time,
will bring them, by improving their
health. something of more value than
money. Every farmer will lind that Il
title attention given to poultry will add
{" their revenues in quite an agreeable
H.y. Lewiston Journal