The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-02-08

account fairly good. 1t was some salts
faction to have started with practically
nothing and ended the fourth year
with bills paid and good start made.
New Farm Purchased
The father-in-law was better of his
lameness, the small farm a little
crowded by the efforts of two families
and so matters were talked over
through the winter evenings. 1t was
decided to buy a few acres across the
road, build a new house and while the
new plant was being slowly construct
ed use the old house for the layers
The house was put up, modern conven-
fences added a small barn erected and
a few poultry houses got ready. The
years went by. Another daughter
came to gladden. the hearts of the
young folks. The work increased SO
that our poultryman needed all his time
at home save what he gave his father
in-law working the old place. He was
handy with tools. had learned much in
his few years work among the neigh
boring farmers and could spare a day
or two month helping in the rush
of house building or nice repairing.
Instead of common wages he got the
pay of an expert carpenter. Much of
the work on his own house and barn,
the building of all the poultry houses,
was the labor of his own hands. He
hod 6pl MS SldIt, was wen uIutT way
and saw that his future was promising.
Private Trade Established
Little by little, through the use of
ono days time each week, he picked up
a private egg and dressed poultry route
in small city eight miles away. His
weekly cash returns increased over
that previously received from his COM
mission agent in Boston. Yet it was less
than year before he came to the con-
n cf hof li,-an ua11 f,,er 1aC
profitable than through commission
house. That one day each week, selling
has poultry and eggs, took more out of
his body and mind together than any
other two days. 1t wore on him in
many ways. The day before his trip to
under high pressure, getting ahead
with his work in order to leave at all
The day after his trip he was tired out
and unfit for a full days handling of
his flock. While direct selling might
be all right for some folks, he decided
that he had all the experience he cared
fer along that line and went back to
shipping by express in wholesale lots.
If he had been on the edge of
large town or on stone road to a
nearby city it would have been a diff
ferent story. On the contrary, he had
to climb several hills, over common
country roads. through mud and snow,
i'll rain and wind, with a round trip of
nearly 20 miles. 1t was wise to devote
more time to producing and less to
selling of his product.
Being at home all the week he was
able to.do his own Matching. No more
was he getting his neighbors to pro-
duce his chicks. His little incubator
collar under one end of his small
brooder house, with its 400-egg ma
chine and smaller one, gave room to
lf.t II lie
brooders, of the old style Rudd home
made affairs, in this 24-foot house,
brought up the chicks to the age when
they went out on his hillside pasture.
Cheaply constructed coops, 6x6 feet,
protected the growing chicks till half
grown. when the coclSerels were dress
ed and marketed. His Rhode Island
Reds, bred for eggs largely, gave cock
erels that were in splendid condition
Tor market when 16 weeks of age, and
these We're pushed off the place as
quickly as his market. would allow.
With the free range of that closely
cropped pasture, the shelter of the
berry bushes that freely grew among
the stones, he produced pullets that
were in great demand among his neigh
bors They proved to be great winter
layers. and he was able 10 sell each
fall 100 pullets for SO each Not a
large price. but one that gave him 800
profit over the cost of rearing to six
months of age. These We're sold to be
used for breeders, not Just for table
eggs, and were worth SIS each to the
buyers for the purpose they wished
them.
Early Hatching Pays
Hatching early, having the chicks
out between March 10 and May |, with
usually hatch on March /, he caught
the high prices for broilers and small