The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1900-01-08

What is fair per cent of chicks hatch
ed In incubators? I'D S. 5ei
What per cent Of those Matched are
raised? Q2)
What amount of food In money does a
chicken consume from birth to one
year? u3)
| How much the second year? Q4)
Is the supply of first-class poultry and
eggs equal to the demand? QO
w. II. Barton.
Morris County New Jersey.
The sum you mention is q large one
to start with In the poultry business. If
you have the farm or ground at your dis
posal free this sum will give you fine
buildings and good STOCK. If you have to
rent a place, of course you must deduct
$500 Or $1,000 for rent. You can put up
fine buildings and plenty Of them, includ-
ing incubator cellar and brooder house.
You can buy number of machines and
purchase f1st-class breeding stock.
Whether you can make a success of 1t de-
Ponds entirely on yourself. If you are
wholly without experience, of course your
first year may not show much profit. We
do not consider course in an agricultural
college necessary. Much better to pay a
practical and successful poultryman for
seasons instruction. Work for him and
gather experience from his knowledge of
the business. The more you aim for prac-
tical results the quicker you will succeed
We answer your questions as follow:
l. Yes; when pursued by professional
breeders, who are obliged to make a Iiv-
ing out of IT; sometimes by amateurs,
who attend to it themselves; and rarely
by gentlemen farmers, who keep poultry
as fad When any large sum is in
vested 1t becomes g. business. like any
thing else, and must be run on business
principles
2. Yes; they are generally successful
and make good profits. $4,000 invest
ment should yield very large profit
as much as $1,000 and more per year.
Many breeders could realize decidedly
more than this. A beginner would find
profits small the first year.
3. The failures are caused usually by
ignorance and bad or careless manage
ment-sometimes by lack Of capital.
f.. The breeding of fancy fowls for ex-
hibition and breeding purposes is a sep
arate branch Of the industry and requires
long experience. 1t is done on scientific
principles. The market side is somewhat
different and pays equally WELL A COM
bination of the two branches, of course,
pays best.
s. Prices of breilers vary with the sup
ply and demand and the seasons Early
spring broilers bring good prices if the
QudilLy Is ufSt-cldSS. special customers
pay better prices than dealers.
g. A regular family trade pays the best
of all. A hotel trade is the same as the
market-they pay the lowest prices pos
Sible for good quality. Some of the best
restaurants in New York pay high prices,
especially In early spring
T. Commission houses pay low prices
even for first-class eggs. except in Bos-
ton. The price is determined by the mar
ket
g. A family trade is the very best for
high prices for strictly fresh and guar
anteed eggs. 1t is selling direct to the
consumer and hence making all the profit,
and thus avoiding the middleman In
New York family trade DAYS as high as
so and so cents per dozen from September
to April for strictly guaranteed eggs, and
% cents the rest of the year. Hotels buy,
as rule, what are known as commission
eggs, and as low as possible for the best
quality obtainable.
g. Incubaters vary In price. The stand
and size, 300-egg, sells from s35 to $40 each.
You may have as many as you can MAN.
age.
10. Experienced poultrymen who are
reliable are as scare as hens teeth. There
is no standard Of salary. The salary of
helpers depends entirely on their ability
and value.
H. The percentage of matches varies &C.
cording to the season. In January and
February IS per cent is good; In April
and May rs to IS per cent.
L. One ought to raise Is per cant Of
the chicks Matched. if not more. 1t de-
ponds entirely on your ability proneriy to
care for and manage them.
10. 1t is supposed chicken consumes
about 70 cents worth of food In