The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-07-30
PRICE DOUBLES ON
 CHICKENS BETWEEN
 FARM AND KITCHEN
Producer Sells to Save Keep, Wholesaler Just Trans fers; Retailer Renders
 Service; Public Pays

More than a dozen things go to set the price of chickens and eggs for the consumer. The old law of supply and demand, however, sets the initial cost. from the producer to the wholesaler A large part of the chickens con. sumed in Birmingham homes and ss Birmingham restaurants are raised in Jefferson county, and in large meas ure just outside the city limits of Bir- mingham. Freight costs are not neces- sarily included, and transportation is cheap, both on account of the fair | roads and short distances to travel, l say local merchants
 Live chickens are selling on Bir- mfngham markets at a price rang ing from 20 cents for hens to 3S cents for flyers and OrOilers. A farmer who brought in load of chickens yesterday when asked what | he thought of the price, said: It's not enough" He was asked why he held this opinion. He explained: Chicken farming is unprohtabre, | except where it is carried on on a l large scale by farmers who raise all | the necessary feed I feed my chickens
 on feed that has advanced three times. | l keep them inside enclosures made l of wire that has also advanced in price | What work that 1 am not able to do myself must be done by incompetent | help that l must pay high wages. My | family must eat food that costs more
 than ever. Therefore. on 3S cents for | flyers l make very little profit | He was asked why he did not charge
 more. 'I do not set the price," he said | We either have to take what is of fered, or take our chickens back to the farm and feed them more expen- ! sive feed"
 THE WHOLESALER Very few things go into the price of the chickens while in the whole saler's hand, making 1t possible for | him to sell at il smaller margin of profit than the producer. Prices on the market yesterday for hens averaged 26 cents. They sold to the retailer for 30 cents. Prices for flyers were about 3Z cents. They sold for 45 cents.
 The reason why we are able to let the chickens go at such a small in- crease is because we keep the stock constantly moving" explained one pre- duce merchant on Morris avenue. eve buy a lot in the morning and probably ! by night they have been sold Thus we eliminate the cost of feed, stora ge and help.
 The supply of large hens is steady. The price, which is governed by the l supply largely, remains about station dTy duIlnS lHe entire year. put IHs | price of young chickens, plentiful in
 the spring and fall fluctuates." | 'fWe have very little to do with the price of chickens" said another pro- duce man of Morris avenue. We act mainly as medium between the pro- ducer and restaurants and large clubs. In many cases, the producer sells di- rectly to the restaurants. Though
 there is such small difference in the v,,-ir af rkar fA h,,t- through a produce merchant" THE RETAILER Chickens form small part of the trade of the retailers, most of whom were dealers in vegetables or meats. Prices for live hens
 were from 40 to Al cents per pound. On live flyers the price ranged
 from 90 to 60 cents. Dressed chickens averaged 70 cents q pound.
 One retailer priced dressed chickens
 at TO cents He readily told what
 they had cost him. but said; Where
 are many things that go into the cost.
 have to pay help to clean and pick
 them. which is absolute waste. I have
 to pay for ice to keep them, though it is very seldom that I have 10 keep
 them long. And then my rent was
 raised from Ss5 to S13O per month. I
 have to do something to raise the addi-
 tional s45 month"
 Another said "A lady called me
 proiteer when I priced chickens to
 her If I am profiteering. the man
 who is not must starve to death. My
 rent was boosted from s125 to $s25
 and if something isn't done I mus
 either move or give up my business"
 One retailer ordered some eggs and
 was amazed when he was told the price
 uas now 49 cents dozen TIe would
 have to charge at least cents apiece
 to get return on his money. '"The Lord knows I don't want to charge
 that price, he exclaimed. People
 won't buy them. But I have to pay the price or go without"