Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1916-02-18
THE POULTRY YARD
STARTING RIGHT
! By ED WEBER

tAOOShH0S VI pcOple al Oil paris " lAc
country take up poultry breeding fer
the first time, and are naturally anx-
ious to get started right
We suppose every poultry editor in
the country gets from dozen to a
hundred letters each spring, and per-
haps more, from people who want to
embark In the poultry business and
want information as to how much cap
ital it will take, how much land they
will need, how many hens they will
have to keep in order to make "a good
comfortable living" which breed they
should select, and so on.
While they always try to give the in
quirer the best information available,
they feel that no one is in a position
to advise the wouldbe poultry raisers
positively as to how they should pro-
coed without first having full informa-
ton as to their qualifications, re-
sources, etc.
In the first place the letters are not
explicit, by any means, and the one
who attempts to answer the questions
is more or less in the dark. Often they
do not state what branch of the BUSH
ness they expect to take up, whether
they will breed so-called fancy
stock, utility stock, or make a special
ty Of eggs or broilers for market. They
do not say how extensively they want
to engage in the business, or what
they would consider a good comfort
able living.
Build From Small Beginning.
There seems to be a disposition with
most people to start into the poultry
business on too large a scale-that is,
they seem to think that it is wholly
- fOr
the undertaking, as they would do
were they to take up almost any other
occupation. 1t is a matter Of history
that nearly every one Of the large
poultry plants in the United States
that proved successful has been built
up from small beginning. 1t is also
a matter of history that there are
number of large plants that have
proved unsuccessful and improbable
simply because the owner undertook to
accomplish something without first fit.
ting himself for the task before him.
Those who have met with the great
est success have been content to
start In a small way and expand as
their knowledge Of the business and
their ability to handle it warranted the
expansion. Slow growth Is always the
surest.
Start With Pure-Bred Stock.
Our advice to the beginner is to get
good, pure-bred stock for founda-
ton. whether he is going to breed for
fancy points" or principally for the
market.
1t has been proved time and time
again that pure bred stock is the most
profitable from commercial point of
view, and the largest and most sue
cessful commercial poultry plants in
this country are today stocked with
poultry of some standard variety. It
costs a little more to start with stand
ard-bred stock, to be sure, but it is o
profitable investment in the end. The
birds which are to be marketed mature
uniformly and make a nice appearance
when dressed and placed on sale. More
eggs will be secured from a flock Of
this kind than from a promiscuous
flock Of mongrels, and the eggs will be
uniform in color and size, they too
making nice appearance and COM
manding a little better price than a
mixed. lot.
Don't Expect Too Much.
No one should go into the poultry
business with the expectation of max
ing big money right from the start, or
even a good, comfortable living" If
man has but limited capital, we
would advise him to puild a small
poultry house and get small flock OF
| fowls as a starter. By the end Of the
| first year he will have acquired fund
Of experience and knowledge that will
fit him for bigger things if he wants
| to increase the capacity of his plant,
| and he will be In shape to work in
| diligently. Having made a success Of
keeping a small flock, a person can
safely increase it to four or five times
| the number providing he has the time
and inclination to care for so large a
| flock.
Small FIocks Pay Best ProportionateIy.
But even now he should proceed
! cautiously, for it does not necessarily
| follow that because a man can make
| nice profit from sixty or seventy
! hens, he can make a proportionately
| greater profit from a thousand hens.
In fact, he may fail entirely and keep
the larger flock at a positive loss In
taking up the poultry business one
should remember that there is more
actual profit in small flock well cared
for than in a large flock neglected.
The idea that seems to be prevalent
that a flock of fowls will shift for
| themselves Lie greater part VI the
year and return profit to the owner
is mistaken one. They must be
properly cared for every day in the
year If they are to prove profitable.
True, they will pick UP the greater part
| on the range in summer, but at the
same time they must be supplied with
those necessities which the range does
not afford.
Individual Ability Counts Most.
The beginner in poultry culture
should bear in mind that the success
| of the venture depends to great de-
| gree upon his own ability and efforts.
He must to certain extent work out
his own salvation" If he is energetic,
studious and observing. he will soon
find himself in a position to keep poul-
try at good profit, and in the course
of time he will have no trouble in
making comfortable living from his