Arizona republican., 1918-02-17

capita is IA dozen eggs a year, and the average consumption of poultry is two and one-half fowls per capita. Thus, ! if family of three keeps six hens. it may in theory get more than the average number of eggs. When the hens quit laying, they can be eaten, so that each member of the family will be only half a hen behind his regular allowance of poultry If the birds have been fed on the table scraps, the only expense of the whole operation will be the difference between the market value of the birds when they were bought and when they were killed. There may even be a favorable balance of trade. Such would be the case now with hens bought in 1915.
 Of course, this theoretical operation is subject to many practical difficult ties. The neighbor's dog may cause an abnormal mortality among the flock; they may get the pip or fly over the fence. But the thing can be done. It may be profitable, and if it isn't, you can comfort yourself with the thought that it is patriotic.
 It will be noted ~that there is no chicken raising connected with this backyard hen-keeping. This inspir- ing phase of the chicken business is rendered impossible for the city man l by the unfortunate VOcaiZations of the | rooster. The egg is the only increase possible from a single parent. Of course, it is possible to buy fertile eggs in the country and hatch them in an i incubator But in that case every 1 youthful chanticleer would have to be 1 disposed of before he reached a crow 1 ing age. Otherwise both the law and your neighbors will be against you. l No, this city chicken farming is a matter of letting the farmer raise the chickens, and the giving those of the l gentler sex the proVerbial good home.
 The case of the man who lives in 1 the suburbs or the country is different. i He is urged to raise birds and to keep a larger flock, raising feed for them on the premises.
 This chicken raising and hen keep ing on a small scale is really necessary l to save the situation. The high price 1 of chicken feed has caused thousands l of farmers to kill all their chickens. thousands of pOultrymen to cut down the size of their flOcks Corn. for eX- ample, which is an excellent fattening feed largely used in the poultry busi-
 ness, doubled in price between the summers of last year and the year be- fore. You can see that such an in crease as that has wiped out the profit for many poultryman. But it does not materially affect the case of the man who can feed a small flock on
 garbage and perhaps raise a little
 green feed for them. It is a case of
 the amateur coming to the rescue of
 the professional.
 The department of agriculture's
 poultry experts are now making an
 estimate of the amount of poultry in
 the country so that they may more
 lntelligently direct their campaign for
 Its increase. Although no exact or dependable results have yet been ob-
 tained, there are indications that the
 poultry supply have been greatly cut
 down. For example, receipts of poultry
 and eggs in the New York market are
 only tWo-thirds of normal.
 Furthermore, there is always a hea " mortality of chickens about this
 tune Of the year, owing to certain re-
 llgious holidays which prevent large , classes of people from eating other
 meats. Chicken usually goes up five or SIX cents pound, and with the additional fact against the fowl tha1 It costs fortune to feed him. hi.
 chances of escaping the aX this veal
 are simmer than usual
 , That is why it would be a patrioti,
 and also forward looking act for vol to go out and rescue a few of thes,
 doomed hens. Remember. alrv old her will lay pretty well for the next thre, . months, And after that, if she fail f to live up to her duty, she will stil make good stew.