Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1914-06-11

The question suggested by the title of
this article is one upon which thousand
of amateur poultry breeders seek in
formation each season. Very few Of them
enter the business with correct ideas of
how to proceed in order to derive the
Erea.e profit from the work. and a
great number of those who are not begin
ners also fail to get an understanding of
the special conditions which bring sue
cess.
There are two branches Of poultry rails
Ing. One is termed utility and the other
fancy. There are successful poultrYmen
In each class, but we wish to emphasize
the fact that they are largely exception
al cases, Special experience or large
capital. or both combined, are usually
responsible for their success Therefore
the question we are considering is really
not one upon which there is any doubt.
The two branches not only can he profit
ably combined, but in fact should he so
handled by all who are not specially fit
ted for one branch exclusively and those
constitute the great majority We shall
endeavor to explain briefly why the COM
bination is desirable and how to conduct
operations.
DREAM OF BEGINNERS.
The dream of the beginner is usually
a vision of acres of ground, covered with
poultry houses and runs in which hun
dreds or thousands of fowls are Smelling
out eggs and are reaching the stage of
development which fits them for market
al the top price per pound. That is
utility poultry keeping. and it can he
conducted successfully if a person has
the required amount of land and has
had such experience on small scale as
will enable him to inteligently manage
a large plant Then there are others
who are attracted toward fowls in tho
same way that bird lovers are interested
in their feathered friends. This interest
is akin to that of the breeders of thor
oughbred horses, cattle and even dogs
That branch of poultry raising is termed
the fancy. and 1t is very profitable when
rightly handled.
There are more than hundred varieties
of fancy fowls, embodying various types,
sizes and colors The fowls bring prices
ranging from 50 to 500 each, accord
Ing to quality, and in some cases higher
prices are paid for prize winning spec-
mems. Eggs from such fowls sell for
s. to $50 per setting of Is eggs.
The wisest course for the poultryman
to pursue is to develop both branches of
the work till he learns which he is best
adapted to, or to what extent he can
permanently handle both The fancy can
be made to yield profitable returns with
less labor, capital and ground than the
utility branch, but it requires more or
less special business ability to market
the product. Table poultry and eggs will
always command the regular market
price, and there are plenty of markets.
All the poultryman needs to do is to
produce the fowls and eggs In large
numbers at reasonable cost and his profit
is assured, but he needs a real poultry
farm of large acreage, ample labor and
housing accommodations with facilities
also for raising at least a portion of his
grain for feeding purposes
During the past few years the utility
poultryman has seen the steady develop
ment of a new detail of his business and
1t has reached the proportions Of almost
an exclusive business for the spring
months. We refer to the trade in newly
have built up big trade in this line
through advertising in various publica-
tions. The chicks when removed from
the incubator can be safely shipped sew
eral hundred miles, and there is a strong
demand for them. This work can be
made profitable on a small scale by near
ly all poultrymen in their immediate To-
calties. There are two main points upon
ht1l. l.
curing an ample supply of fertile eggs
must be provided and YOU should be able
to operate incubators with fair degree
Of skill. If eggs for Matching are not
available from your own nocks or obtain.
anie elsewhere at a reasonable price
thefe VIII be no profit In the work, and
even II those conditions are favorable
there Is still chance for failure If al
the end OF the Matching period there is
not goodly percentage of lively chicks
UTILITY POULTRYMAN.
The utility poultryman who is in the
business on a basis that enables him 10
make his living therefrom will neces-
sarly have the room and facilities for
also developing the fancy. His success
will depend upon his enthusiasm and his
business ability. His method of procedure
should be to devote a portion of his plant
to the rearing of choice specimens of
some popular STANDARDIZED variety OF
fowls. He should secure as foundation
stock the best birds he can afford lie
should acquire thorough knowledge OF
the standard requirements of his breed
bnd then endeaVor to breed the fowls tc
the highest state Of perfection. When he
has done that he should exhibit his stock
pit various poultry shows, beginning with
hose in his own State or section II
he can win fair share of the honors In
competition with other breeders he IL
hen in position to do a profitable bust,
hess in stock and in eggs for Matching
a certain amount of business will come
~ him unsolicited as result of his