The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-11-15
THE FARMER: NOVEMBER IS, 1917
COST OF POULTRY
 THIS WINTER TO. BE ExH0RBITANT
ARTICLE 1

ARTICLE l
 Will you sell your poultry or will you keep them and face the high cost of feed this winter? The poultry busi- ness is at the present time facing the most critical period in it's existence, since it was first established as an in- dependent live stock industry. This emergency is only the beginning of a long hard fight for improved meth ods of feedind and better care and management and will demand the sim cere cooperation of every poultryman or the neglected flocks which have manageable return a fair profit In the past. will rapidly find their way to market.
 The call of patriotism is foremost to every American and the movement for food conservation and production is entering into every industry. It is entering into the poultry industry and we hear the question whether the old hen can efficiently convert good grain into a more concentrated food product. The answer IS, no-we can no longer feed the good wheat. It is also doubtful if we can feed any o. the higher priced grains solely for the production of market poultry. But the old hen does not have an econom- ic value. We do not need to use the best quality of grain which we have thought necessary in the past. We can get good egg production by using mill feeds and such grains as are not suitable for human food, The market egg is the important economic prod uct of the poultry industry today, with market poultry as a by-product. With careful management, market eggs can still be produced at profit and this phase of the industry should receive special attention.
 Consider for a moment the market condition as compared to year ago. We find the highest New York quota ton on November |, 1916, holding eggs at 65 cents per dozen, while the same quotation on a <, corresponding date this year is 75 cents. This differ-. ence is not as great as has occurred earlier in the season. The average in- crease in egg prices this year over last year has been about 25 per cent. Market poultry quotations do not show as great an increase over last yead during the same period. < Fowl has been very plentiful due to heavy selling and prices show but little in crease. Fancy chickens show consid- erable more advancemen Poultry products have not advanced in price to compare with other food stuffs but this condition must change as soon as the shortage due to present heavy selling becomes felt. Those who stay in the business and meet the present eeprgency by more economical pre- ductipn will be in a position to do a better business in the future.
 The principle obstacle which the. poultry man has to overcome at pres- ent is the high cost of feed. Prices are not only high but they are sub ject to unexpected fuctations which make a comparatively reasonable for mu1a this week an expensive one the next time grain is purchased. The high fluctuating prices often make 1t difficult to obtain the different kinds of feed when needed. The average feed dealer cannot carry the quantity and variety of feed which he did
 normal times. It takes more capital
 to carry the same amount of feed. Shipments are apt to- be delayed in transit and buying ahead entertains considerably greater risk. The poul- tryman must have feed at the lowest pOShtDt6 cOSL II n0 IS LO stay III the business and the dealer certainly needs the patronage of the poultry man if he wishes to do the greatest possible amount of business. While the importance of the poultry feed business may vary in different sec tions the same principle applies to all kinds of live stock farming.
 A constant supply of the most eco- nomical feeds at all times neecssitates thorough knowledge of-the markets as well as a ready conception of the value of different feeds and combina- tions of feeds which may be used to- gether The time is past for anyone to hold. up definite formula as the cnly one which will give results. Ev- cry satisfactory ration must be so bal anced that 1t will meet certain re- quirernents. Beyond that there are no limitations. There are many different feed com binations in use, some suc- cessful and some unsuccessful. Many of the best rations are composed or very different grains. The require ments of good ration are three, first that it be paltable. second that it con-