Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1917-10-14
BACK YARD ECC-MAKERs
!. OBTAIN LARGE PROFITS
Town Man Tells How, With Twelve
Pullets, He Reduced the High
Cost OF Living.
RICHMOND FOLK CAN DO 1T
Eggs That Arc Selling for Over so
Cents Per Dozen Obtained at Four.
teen-IneXpensivc Outfit Near ut
Hand-The Figures.

While neighbors were paying from
ing the early months OF this year. ten
white leshorn pullets in the backyard
OF certain city man (not in Rich
mond. but not 4 thousand miles away
were demonstrating the efficiency OF
n small poultry flock in reducing living
expenses. The backyard egg producer
kindly tells of his experience for the
benefit of others who can go and do
likewise.
These ten hens were purchased as
pullets November / of last year. Only
two were old enough TO lay by Ian
uary l Of this year. At the end Of
seven months. that Is to say. May 81,
the fock had produced 749 eggs at a
cost OF a fraction less than II cents per
dozen. The average retail price of eggs
in the town in which this experiment
was made during this time was not less
than 3S cents n dozen. Thus, on the
basis OF that price, and everybody
knows 1t is much higher now. the hens
produced a labor income of sl.32 each.
This RECORD was made under condi-
NiolS ludt taI! nc uupllCaleu III any
backyard by the average person.
Neither an exceptional flock nor an ex-
pensive plant is necessary. The stock
may be obtained from a farmer. poul-
tryman, or poultry dealer. Most salts
factory results will l." obtained with
strong. vigorous, mature pullets. Since
tho flock Is not intended for breeding.
male should no, be kept. especially tn
town where his Growing would be OBJ
iectionable. The equipment, feed. and
method Of feeding used in the test men
toned heretofore will serve as guide
for persons who wish to keep a back
yard flock to reduce the cost of eggs.
STYLE AND LOCATION OF
THE IENHOUSE
The house was made of packing
boxes and covered with roofing paper.
1t Is five and half feet square. five
feet high in front and three ard a half
feet high in back. SIX feet square and
a foot higher would have been more
convenient The door is two by five
feet Ventilation ur6 light arc pro-
vided by space two feet by three and
a hail feet. In the lower two-thirds of
this space is 4 window sash with six
eight by tcn-:nch panes. The actual
SoSN VI tis'S uoHsc, HOl pACh-
ing boxes. was sass.
The house is located in the backyard
not more than thirty feet from the
oye!linG-h"use. In summer 1t is shad-
ed by high elm. In winter it is pro-
tec,ed from prevailing winds and the
ttee does not obstruct. the sunlight.
No !ard is provided Yards require
rooyn-w,Iich was not available in this
f,aS nd al "a far in
creasing the expense. Poultry permit
ted TO range ruin gardens and antago-
nIze neighbors. These were kept shut
in. Confinement evidently did not re-
tard egg production. Even after seven
months. the birds We're apparently in
good health.
THE RIGHT room AND
METHOD or FEEDING
The feed consisted OF cracked grain
and mixture OF ground feeds. Dur
ing the seven months. 22j pounds OF
cracked corn ana l25 pounds of mash
were fed. The mash consisted OF equal
parts by weight of bran. shorts. corn
meal. and beef scrap. oyster she'll was
kept before the hens in quart can
attached to the wall. The ground feed
was constantly accessible in a hopper
hung from the wall During the seven
months one bale of straw was used
en- the floor Leaves were used for lit
ter ir TIRE ffal'.i..
The.-m,thod of feeding. especially
the feeding schedule. was adapted to
the convenience OF the caretaker. This
was because he did not get home n,
night until after the birds had gone
TO roost In tho morning a pail OF
fresh water was provided and dry
mash was put In the hopper. II neces-
sary. Ally available table scraps q
crumbly wet mash composed OF some
dry mash and milk or water. and a
quart Of the cracked corn were fed at
noon. when the days became longer.
the grain was fed at night. SO far as
actual results were concerned the
effect was the same. The birds would
eat tho vet mash at noon and when
their hunger returned. satisfied their
appetites with the grain.
HEAR TIE CONCLUSION
OF THE WHOLE MATTER
Great emphasis is always called to
the utilization Of waste from the table
This is an admirable practice hut the
back lot poultry keeper is warned
against depending too much on this
source OF feed To say that half the
feed can come from table scraps may
mean that the birds will not be libcr.
ally fed. or 1t may mean that the poul-
try offers an excuse for carclcssness in
the accumulation of table waste. Ii
useless waste results, the housewife is
poor manager. Not more than one
tenth OF the feed came from table
scraps in this case.
The Importance OF keeping oyster
she'll available cannot nc over en-
phasized, and the poultry keeper should
remember that II is only the literally
fed hen that produces profitahiy. Each
OF these hens ate i've pounds Of grain
month Green food was fed when II
Ccu'c be obtained. No account was
taken OF the sour milk which was fed
at irregular intervals whenever il was
available.
This venture suggests that the back
Let poultry fock can be efficiently
handled; that the waste from the table
can la utilized advantageously. that
poultry can he confined on a town lot
and not prove objectionable to neigh
hors. and that it will materially re-