The San Francisco call., 1895-10-09
PLAIN TALKS WITH FARMERS.

"A correspondent who wishes to learn.
and don't care to hear argument on the
necessity OF learning. writes as follows:
Reading the poultry notes of The CALL
am desirous to go largely into poultry.
l wonder if E. f. A. will eventually give
us specific information relative to poultry
raising7"
do not pretend to much knowledge or
to any knowledge except as to a few mat
ters OF which the poultry business is not
one, but from boy have been associated
with business affairs and business men,
and know how such persons investigate
proposed business enterprises. They as
certain costs, markets and competition be-
lore they start. OF course, they study
methods also, but the world is full of poul-
try knowledge on that line, and | shall not
undertake from my ignorance to add to it.
But Will make study of the business
SIDE OF 1t to show what kind of knowledge
think the poultryman should have, in
| addition, or course, to the understanding
of the proper care of his flock. This knowl-
edge all experienced poultrymen have, but
|. wish simply to show an example of
methods OF study, and the poultry busi-
ness will serve that purpose very well, and
incidentally may give some facts of value
to the inexperienced.
As preliminary 1 may say that all
poultry men agree that no one should en-
gage in the business who is not lover of
fowls. Those who are not willing to be
continually poking about henroosts after
lice, or who cannot smile serenelys when a
Leghorn pullet IN search of egg food sails
| cheerily over his highest barn and lights
on his new.sown pea bed, should keep out
OF the business. Those who like myself
cannot see hen off her proper beat with
out an uncomfortable impulse to shy rock
at her should not even consider it.
Like most farmers keep some poultry
thoroughbreds, crosses or mongrels, as it
happens; but usually thoroughbreds. For
two or three years I kept their accounts
carefully and found the annual cost OF
keep to oe 81 per laying hen, exclusive of
| green food and care, and the cost of
eggs 12@ cents per dozen, which shows
that my output was less than the average.
My location, however, is not good for the
| egg business and feed was higher then
Htban now.
|; With that knowledge and such common
senseas / can command 1 began my in
vestigation.
| For costs we must go to producers. I
! lind there Is no agreement as to cost.
Most keep no books. OF those who
do some Keep them one way and some
another. a business man going into
poultry would charge up to cost interest
on his totalinvestment and wear and tear
OF plant. Farmers are apt not to know
the amount OF their investment, and [
have found none who considered it. It is
perhaps not essential Most poultry men
so into the business expecting by the in
| lxracf aoy.1r r@f f,1, Q
themselves with home and means of liv-
ing. So drop interest and wear and tear
as an element OF cost. | am also assum-
ing that the location is favorable for the
health of fowls, the preservation of eggs
and convenience to market and that the
industry Is pursued as a principal business
and not as an adjunct to other lines OF
farming.
l find a general agreement among poul-
try men that profit has hitherto come in
California from the production of eggs
rather than live poultry, but also an
opinion on the part of some that perhaps
this may be changed by a larger output of
fall chicks to produce spring broilers If
eggs are the main object that involves the
keeping of the non-setting breeds raising
the chicks exclusively by incubators, and
considering the broilers and cockerels pro
duced as by-product and deducting their
proceeds from cost of feed to show the net
cost of keep of laying hens, l have had
cost OF keep quoted to me by poultry men
all the way from 90 cents, per annum to 95
cents. Doubtless there is difference in
cost to individuals, but not so great diff
ference by any sane methods of handling
or bookkeeping. | am going to assume the
necessary net cost at IS cents per wear per
laying hen and the annual product at ten
dozen, which makes the eggs cost ~ cents
per dozen actual cash paid out to those
buying all their feed. Yields of twelve or
thirteen dozen are claimed as possible and
would seem reasonable, but no one claims |
such yields to be usual in this State. The |
question OF necessary cost is open to dis |
cussion in the poultry column Of THE CALL.
and should be glad to hear from the
experienced.
l think where farmers fail most fre-
quently is in computing costs. they omit
items. once for some years made ND the
costs in q large Eastern manufacturing es-
tablishment. Our rule was to put in every
item we could think of and add 25 per cent
TO the total. 1t is q good rule. 1t has
kept that establishment solvent through
two great commercial crises and it is rich
to-day. lcommend the rule to farmers.
70 ascertain the market l consult the
trade statistics, and have conversed with
such dealers as l know Until the past
year or two we have had home market
which is our best market-for all we could
produce. Of late the product has in
creased and at the height of the season
we now produce more than will sell
readily at prices profitable to the pro-
ducer. The first two weeks of March in,
this year ranch eggs averaged 11l cents
in this market, probably paying producer,
after deducting expenses, IL cents. With
cost of IA cents and yield of 10 dozen
per hen per annum, this would show an
annual profit of IS cents per hen. or $3.50
per 1000 hens, to which is to be added TIE
use of house and garden, which the ranch
man would presumably have. If there is
no interest to pay, and especially if there
IS land to keep q COW and horse and the
family is not too large or luxurious, the
thrifty man would pull through. If in
debt, or with sickness, or with much feed
to buy for cows and horses, he could not.
fortunately, as conditions have been
hitherto it is only for short time that
eggs sell so low. The quotations of ranch
eggs in THE WEEKLY CALL for the last