The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1918-03-17
REPLY EXPLAINS
POULTRY ORDER
Answer Given by Food Ad-
ministratiOn to Raiser
Clears Problem.
SEEKS NO DICTATION
Question Resolves Itself Into
Fight Between Patriotism
and Profit.

will you kindly give me some much
| needed advice writes a farmer to the
! L. S. food administration "to govern
my actions in complying with your re-
cent order prohibiting the sale and
/ slaughter of hens after February 20.
I am operating a farm OF EOS acres.:"
he continues. 'and have flock of LOO
White Leghorn hens of which about
700 are last years pullcts. My pull
] let's produce about 100 eggs apiece
year. 1t is my practice to hatch be-
tween 500 and 700 pullets each spring.
! the first hatch coming off about April
/. AS the capacity OF my plant is
about 1000 birds and Is now over
stocked, l will have to cut out the
1 Matching until such time as you may
permit the sale of my old Stock to
make room for the new"
4 This man understands the purpose OF
the regulation notifying licensees not
to buy live or fresh killed hens and
pullets until after April 80. for he
continues: "Of course, such line of
action would throw onto the market
about 200 dozen eggs that would 9TH
erwse use in incubators. but there
would be the loss of about 700 broilers
and my flock will not lay as many eggs
this year without the new stock.
There is great difference in the
effect of your order when applied to a
man running poultry plant Of a fixed
capacity as compared with a man who
has few hens running at large about
his barns. At this time have flock
of cocks at an expense OF about 40
cents per month per bird that should
! go to market at once If they are not
to be used as breeders: the feed they
are eating should be saved. Will you
kindly toll me what should be doneo"
) Three Choices to Select From or
Combine.
Here is case where general order
necessary as a war measure. and of
benefit to the industry as while,
causes a specialized poultryman anx-
icty and Inconvenience. Under the
spirit Of the regulation, several alter
natives are permissible. tMale birds
are not affected by the regulation and
may be sold at any time for any pur-
rose.)
II /. Surplus hens and pullets may be
i | sold as breeding stock. With the i'm
petus which meatlcss meals and days
have given the poultry industry and
the nation wide effort toward larger
flocks. there should be an outlet in
every locality for we'll bred fowls
especially birds which average $50 eggs
apiece annually. The food adminis-
tration's order aims only to prevent
the slaughter of hens and pullets.
There is no restriction on the dis;ri-
| button of high-cla breeding stock:
this on the other hand, Is encouraged,
,. The edict extends only through
April 80: and as this poultryman's first
hatch comes off April I. the period of
Inconvenience Is only so days during
. April. Temporary quarters for the
surplus hens during that time should
prove no serious problem on farm
, of zoe acres. After April 80. the sur
plus hens may be-sold for slaughter,
in the absence of better market.
;. Another choice is n few weeks
. delay in the Matching season so that
chicks will be Matched about May /,
after. the surplus hens are sold.
Any one of these options or a combi-
. nation Of them seems to impose no
very serious hardship. The food ad-
fnAnistration points out that the aver
age yield of spring eggs according to
past experiences is about so per cent
of the meat value of the hens in the
country. And i'll this particular flock,
the production per bird is unusually
high.
| The problem seems in its final an
alysis to be one OF profit on one hand
al,
the other. considering the future as
well as the present. Under the regula-
ton notifying poultry buyers not to
accept live or fresh killed hens or pull
lets until after April 80. 1918. it Is
confidently hoped that the food sup
ply of the country win be increased.
But the letter of the regulation applies
neither to farmers nor to consumers.
Nor does the food administration seek
to dictate to poultrymen how they
shall conduct their business.
II seeks rather to safeguard the ma
tion's food supply and to most effec-
lively share our food savings a4d sur
plus with the allies to win the war.
Perhaps this farmer honestly believes
that the marketing of his surplus hens
4 for direct consumption would be In
Harmony with the spirit of the new
regulation. Considering present hous-
ing facilities, Matching plans. future
broilers and winter eggs. he may feel
justified in believing he can best serve
his sons or his neighbour sons .over
there" by marketing his hens-fowls
THAT he admits are excellent layers
to a private trade
But II he has loeked at the matter