Belding banner. (Belding, Mich.) 1889-1918, 1914-09-23
Conducted by VI. W. HICKS
Cost of Feed Makes Poultrymcn Wary


With the high cost of living poultry
keepers did not escape. For a num-
Der of years the price of lumber has
increased and with it poultry equip
ment. Poultry feed until this year
has stayed within reasonable bounds,
but with August4and the war the price
Of all poultry feeds have gone to
figures that make the poultry keeper
with a large or small flock sit up and
take notice. That the price Of fresh
poultry and eggs will 'go up from now
on there is but little doubt. In fact,
it is the natural law Of supply and de-
mand, and with the increased price
there will be small margin of profit
for the poultry keeper who is able by
good management to keep his fowls
producing, For the keeper of poultry
whose fiocks are not producers there
will be a large loss one that can not
be overcome by good late spring or
summer laying, when eggs will again
fall to lower figures.
The wise poultry raiser has. or is,
disposing of all pallets that will not
produce eggs this fall and winter, due
to late Matching or setbacks during
the growing season. Males, except
those to be retained as sale birds, or
To be placed in the breeding pens in
January or February, should be dis
posed OF at once, regardless OF the
market for ii is doubtful if they can
be held any great length of time
with feed going higher each week.
and prove profitable. The same this
year will hold good with the late
Matched pullets that can not possibly
lay before early spring. Keep only
those that one can feel sure will be
producers this fall or winter If a
balance is wished for that will be on
the proper side of the ledger.
The careful manager of poultry is
going to make a profit this fall and
winter The careless manager with
large flock, one-half late Matched pull
lets. and many hens that have passed
the 2-year-old mark, will find big
| feed bill each week, with very little
return in the way of profit until
spring, and it will be well toward the
end of summer before "a balance can
be placed on the right side of the
ledger, if then. over one-half of the
|
having flocks too large, and in the ma
jority of cases these could be culled
to one-half the number Chose which
are real producers), good size and fully
matured, and the rest sent to market.
When the poultry raiser once fully
realizes that it is quality, and not
quantity, that makes success, he is on
the right road to make a success of
poultry from a dollar-and- stand
point. Not one-half Of those who
raise poultry allow their fiocks room
enough, either in the poultry building
or in the yards. Overcrowding has
been the cause of many failures. Lack
OF space in the yards is another cause.
Poultry need room to do their best,
and in case the quarters for keeping
them are limited. reduce the flock to
the size of the poultry building and
/ yards.
1t is often surprising what poultry
will do with neglect. but there always
comes a time when improper manage
ment will tell, and often when least
/ expected. The wise poultry keeper
this fall, especially when all feeds and
I equipment will be high, will quarter
! only those fowls to be retained as
! breeders for next seasons work, and
the pick of the pullets that were
Matched early enough to insure winter
egg production.