Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-11-30
agricultural Department.
CAN POULTRY RAISING BE
MADE A SUCCESSFUL
BUSINESS

MADE A SUCCESSFUL
BUSINESS
In spite of all that may have been
written in favor of keeping poultry
in large numbers, the fact remains
that there are, in the United States,
no large establishments which have
realized profits in proportion to those
derived from a few fowls kept in the
barnyard. That poultry may be
made a business is certainly possible
and that larger profits can be realiz-
ed from fowls, in proportion to cap
ital invested, than from any other
farm stock, has often been demon
strated. One of the reasons why
poultry raising has not been conduct
ed as an exclusive industry on farms
is because the majority of farmers
have looked upon poultry IS un-
worthy of the constant supervision
and attention usually bestowed upon
other stock and, moreover, few OF
them are familiar with the different
breeds and their characteristics.
Where parties have abandoned all
other pursuits, and made poultry a
speciality, they have been rewarded
with success. A farmer will care
fully feed his horse and clean out the
stable daily, yet he would consider it
unnecessary to keep his poultry and
their quarters in the same condition,
though his opportunities for profit
from poultry are grearer than from
other stock in proportion.
There are but few farms upon
which over 5000 chicks are raised
annually; hut on one of them the
proprietor was engaged IN another
occupation, and supposed he was
giving his fowls the best care and at
tention, which was true in one re-
spect, but he did not succeed in real
izng a fair profit. The second sea-
son he solicitated the assistance of
his two daughters, and under the
watchful eyes of the father and
daughters over 5000 chicks were
Matched in incubators and marketed.
This season preparations have been
made for Matching and raising three
times that number, the great secret
of failure having been discovered
and the following rule applied
"Give poultry the same care bestow,
ed on other classes of sto elk, and {
fair profit is sure to be the result"
Careful experiments on this farm
show that the cost Of iced, labor,
interest on capital, and all other ex'
penses, including the eggs for hatch
ing purposes, is nine cents pei
pound, and if the chicks are matched
early, and an average be made O
the prices obtained for both earl,
and late chicks, over 100 per cent
profit may be secured, or rather, th
average is Is cents per pound up t.
the weight of two pounds. If w
will look into the matter closely, i
will be noticed, upon comparison
that the hest-managed dairy farm
do not begin to realize such profits
and yet there is plenty of hard worI
"every day and Sunday too" on
dairy farm, while large amounts Q
capital are required. On the poultr
farm mentioned, only one acre O
gro und is required, and all the foo
is purchased, while on dairy farr
large areas are devoted to pasture.
Surely if the poultry were give
the same attention ''from early daw
till late at night" that is exercise
on dairy farm, the result would b
much better than that from "lookin
after" the birds occasionally. I'll
fact is, no one, so far as | know, hf
ever tried the poultry business as
should have been tiled, so far {
large numbers are concerned, and
must be acknowledged that until Il
industry is given the considerable
and standing it SO richly deserve
we shall continue to hear Of failure
and reverses. That the business cs
be made profitable is certain; b
business methods are required, al
it opens avenues to many of limitt
means who may not have oppoltun
ties in other directions. 1t also +
quires knowledge, and large prof
should not be expected suddenly, NJ
before experience has assisted
realizing expectations. Too mut
should not be required. There a
obstacles in the poultry bushes
hut there are also advantages. Eve
business does not always pay at fir
and poultry comes under the san
rule. But, if rightly managed,
will pay large profits in proporliC
to capital and labor invested r
raj Ne10 Yorker.
LEAVES OF PLANTS.
1t is generally supposed that