Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-01-01
COPYRIGHT, 1916.

Mr. Lewis does not discourage the
man whose capital is small, but wisely
advises him to first acquire experience
before investing in farm OF MS own.
Then, with from two to ten acres OF
land, and from three to five thousand
dollars, he may accomplish what the
subject of this article did.
TIME moderate-sized poultry flock
is probably the most satisfactory
n and profitable, for it requires the
time of but one man, the owner, and
does not necessitate the hiring of addi-
tional labor, which means greater ex-
pense and usually less efficiency. The
experiences of hundreds of poultry
men keeping from 500 to 1900 birds
on limited acreage is proof enough of
the possibilities open to one who has
a small amount of capital and will
ingness to begin in a correspondingIy
small way, and after a few years eX-
perience develop one-man plant
which will pay him a definite weekly
salary and provide a most enjoyable
occupation. The amateur must not
expect this success to come without
careful and well planned preliminary
work, however, which shall aim to-
wards a moderate sized flock, with
commercial egg production the pri-
mary source of income.
The following is summarized rec
ord of the achievements of one poul-
tryman, who nrmly believed in the
possibilities of a one-man flock, and
was willing to begin with 800 birds
and take two years to develop in his
project the results shown below. His
beginning was made at the age of 81
years, after he had become dissatisfied
with clerical positions in the city. Just
before starting his farm he devoted
twelve weeks during the winter to a
short course in poultry husbandry at
one of our Eastern Agricultural Col
leges. The first year he ran behind
financially $500, and the second year
Just broke even, while the third year
he cleared $500. Since that time for
the last two years he has cleared an
average of 81, 500 each year net. His
wife is as interested in the chickens as
he, and is an important factor in the
success of such farm. Much of the
care of chicks, the packing of eggs,
and the record keeping can be profit
ably left in her hands.
During the year this farm kept an
average of 1000 fowls, made up of
GOO pullets and 400 yearling hens, the
latter being mated for breeding pur-
poses, The farm proper contains two
acres, one of which is devoted to the
home and house garden, while on
the other are located the laying
houses, three in number. On account
or the necessity for raising a consid-
cradle number of pullets each year,
three acres adjoining the poultry farm
proper Is leased for a term of ten
years, planted in peach trees, and used
for range for the growing stock, max
5 ing total of five acres devoted to the
poultry work. A mammoth incubator
of 200-egg capacity is located in the
cellar of the. house, and the chicks
are brooded by coal burning brooder
stoves in portable colonyhouses on the
range. These are four in number, and
are used for maturing the young stock
after the heaters are removed. AS a
whole the arrangement Works out very
efficiently, and could profitably be
copied by others wishing to carry on
similar line of business. If any
changes were to be made it would be
desirable, IL possible, to secure more
land. Ten acres might be considered
about the most efficient area, although
the farm plan can be modified to meet
larger or small locations. Too much
land should not be used, however, as