The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-09
BABY CHICK TRADE
PRODUCES PROFITS
Day Old Youngsters Can BE
Sold for Good Prices as
Side Line.
LITTLE CAPITAL NEEDED

There are two special phases OF the
baby chick business which should he
studied and their various opportunities
appreciated These are custom Matching
and the selling OF baby chicks as a side
line to egg farming. both OF which have
attained rapid development in the com
mcrcial egg producing sections Of New
Jersey. New York and Connecticut. and
also on the Pacific coast. especially In
California.
Hunterdon county in New Jersey Is
characteristic Of the sections where Gus
tom hatcheries are being operated sue
cessfully. In this county. especially In
the vicinity Of ~Frenchtown. Stockton,
Lambertville and Milford. there are To-
Gated some Of the largest custom hatch
ing establishments In the world.
A small area Of land II a few well
planned and properly constructed build
ings are all the equipment needed. The
owner Of the Matching establishment
usually keeps hut a limited umb OF
fowls himself. In Fetaluma. Cal. these
Matching establishments maintain a large
fock of specially selected breeders and
produce a large part OF their Matching
eggS. The custom hatchery Is generally
equipped with a large capacity mammoth
Incubator or incubators. and in some IN
stances a large number Of small lamp
heated machines are still used.
The business OF these h~atcheries Is OF
tWo distinct kinds-frst. he operator
rants the compartments Of his incuba-
torn to customers at "a given rate per
ogE. Thu usual price is J cents an egg
Tor the period Of incubation. II the in
cubator capacity Is large enough this
rental Of compartments offers a very
satisfactory remuneration. The opera
tor receives the eggs from the customer
and places them In the machine. CAIRNS
for them throughout the entire period oi
Incubation, and returns the hatched
chicks when they are a day or two old.
The operator or owner Of the hatchery
IN in no way responsible for the vigor Of
the germ or the fertility OF the eggs. II
IL his duty to operate the machine cor
rectly. of course he must test the egg
n least once he must keep a record OF
the progress Of same and must notify tn
owner Of the Eggs " the hatch Is no
progressing properly.
This method Of getting ones eggs
Matched IL satisfactory. especially !
the hatchery is near by. Most hatcherie'
also make a business OF buying eggs from
DOuIrTN nlttltS ln NV "liits tifN
baby chicks Matched from them. The
prices vary. depending upon the season
quantity and breed. The success OF I'M
end of the baby chick business depends
largely upon the ability OF the hatchery
u secure Eggs from well bred. vigorou.
stock at the tint needed.
Probably the most satisfactory aspec'
Of the baby chick business is where II Is
carried on as n side Zine 10 egg farming
There are "A great many commercial poul
try farms In the East and West whicf
make the main source Of their income ~
market or table eggs. and In addition e
this they breed strong. vigorous birds ano
are IN "a position t. sell large numbers N
hatching eggs during the spring. The,
,nus, have 4 large Incubator capacity Il
hatch tho uuiutfty e chicks when thcl
require for themselves, Consequently the,
arc in a position To hatch and sell large
quantities Of biuN chicks. Such Chick
are usuall, nf tho very best quality hs
.use the reputation ~ the owner Of ~
farm H. back e Inc stock. They are pr"
ouccd from stock Of known breeding. and
i.om birds which are cared for with IN
enc idea If producing ha,chablc eggs
Chicks from such faIms frequently brin!
from IL To % cents each This produc
not only makes a considerable increase
revenue for the commercial man who /
equipped to handle IL but TO the customer
wishing to make a start or to secur'
pullets TO supplement those OF his owl
Matching.
The first requisite TO a successful bah!
chick trade IL vigorous, healthy, livabl'
stock. The husky. vigorous chick de
pends upon two very definite factors
first, the quality OF the egg which is use
for Matching. and secondly, the cond!
49, ~, .., I,.t, ia
Matching period. The operator OF an in
Cubator who gets unsatisfactory and dis
%oouraging matches often hlames his ma
Chimes unjustly. All poor matches are no
caused by the failure Of the incubator 4
- its work properly. but frequently b!
the poo quality Of the eggs used.
The prime Matching egg must he pro
Auced by a flock of healthy, vigorous, Sc
lected breeding birds which are properl'
housed and correctly fed. and which ar
70 mated that a large percentage Of tn
0gyD produced are fertile. Ninety pc
cont. or over OF all Eggs placed In tn
incubator should be fertile during tn
gpriug months. From the time the eg
- laid until 1t is placed In the ,ncubato
Il should be handled carefully. II shoul
oo kept at a temperature Of about 8
degrees. and should he turned occasion
ally, or held with the small end down I
keep the air cell in its normal position
Moreover. II should not be held too long
not over two weeks if possible. Hatch
ing eggs should be carefully sclecte
and only those Of normal size. OF averag
ahape and with a perfect shell should b
set.
In the operation OF the hatchery Their
ere two fundamentals which must be fol
lowed. One is the careful disinfcctior
nf all cUuipnenf Hllph as traya pursar,