Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-09-05
STARTING PROFITABLE
POULTRY BUSINESS
Successful Egg Producer Analyses
Causes of Failure and Points
Way to Success.
One Hundred Hens Sufficient at Be
ginning; Only One Breed Should
Be Kept at Outset.
By MICHAEL K. BOYER.
Copyright. 1850


The poultry industry affords q good
| occupation. II 1t is properly conducted
Too many make the mistake Of engag-
| ing in 1t on a large scale, without suf-
fcient preparation. The amateur who
intends to establish himself on a Arm
| foundation should start in a small way
knowledge will permit.
The poultry business calls for careful
| work. It requires close attention every
day for 1855 days in the year. and FROM
| early to late. Unless man possesses
grit he will soon tire Of this sameness
It becomes monotonou~ Pluck and
grit are necessary.
The man who knows nothing what
ever about the business, and then
plunges in on a scale sufficient to keep
| a veteran busy, is the man who. sooner
or later, will discover an elephant on
his hands"
100 Hens. Sufficient at Start.
There may be a disadvantage in
| starting SMALL disadvantage so far
as income is concerned-but a decided
advantage in making a firm founda-
| ton. The man who starts with loo
hens, who gives them the best Of care
| watches all the details. gets to under
stand their likes and dislikes. and
makes careful study OF the business
can do considerable Matching the fol-
| lowing spring. by hens. so that he may
at least be able to double the size of
the plant, besides having surplus cock
| erels and pullets for sale.
Egg Farming the Right Basis.
Make egg farming the basis. When
ever a hen becomes broody set her.
Sell all surplus each week. After the
chicks are grown to salable size. pick
| out the pullets to be retained for next
years laying and market the cockerels.
The following year, with an increased
number of layers, there would be
chance to have enough over the ex-
pense to start a salary for the owner.
1t will take about three years to get
the business down to the living stage.
where the man starts without any ex-
perience., He must serve an apprentice
ship, and 1t is right that it is so, for
If poultry culture opened up an avenue
on which any and everybody could sue
coed, regardless of experience, 1t would
not be long before prices would take a
mighty tumble, and there would be no
money in it.
Many Opportunities for Amateurs.
There are many opportunities for the
amateur. Poultry culture has many
branches farming, broiler raising,
rooster growing, baby chicks, breeding
stock and eggs for Matching. The anna
teur should start with egg farming and
gradually add whatever other branches
he desires or is able to handle
He should start with one breed, Sc
lected according to his object, and
stick to it. getting all the good posi-
BILE out of it. It may be necessary
later, as the business develops. to add
one or two other varieties, as, for in
stance, the Leghorns for white eggs,
or the Wyandottes for broilers and
small roasters; or the Brahmas for
dark brown eggs and large roasters.
But that will determine itself.
Under no circumstances should a man
leave a steady position to engage in a
business he knows nothing about. Here
vantage. Stick to the job while the
plant is gradually building itself up.
Learn the lesson with a few fowls. A
man should test himself before he in
vests much money, for he may discover
that he is not adapted to the work.
Pluck Necessary to Success.
Lack of good judgment has wrecked
many poultry enterprises. Our talents
do not all run in the same channel 1
have witnessed successes and failures
when conditions in the start were
alike But the men were different. One
would be a careful, painstaking man.
who possessed plenty of pluck and
grit; was never discouraged by draw
backs, never got the "blues'-in short.
an optimist. The other would be fell
low wild with enthusiasm in the start,
but one who quickly tired. He soon
saw the drudgery; it did not take him
long to see that there is no money in
the business and up goes the plant.
There Is a good bit in business
sense" No matter what branch or
branches of poultry culture. the busi-
ness end must be carefully looked into.
What do the markets demand? What
have I to meet the demand? How can
/ cut down the expenses without
jeopardizing the results? How can