The Lynden tribune. [volume] (Lynden, Wash.) 1908-current, 1920-01-29
SAYS 400 PULLETS WILL
NET PROFIT OF $3.50
Former Lynden Man Sums Up Oppor.
tunities For Good Living In Poul.
try Business Here

Mr.and Mrs. George R. Shoup. form
erly of Lynden, now in charge of the
poultry work at the Western Wash
ington Experiment Station at Puyal-
lup. In bulletin sent out this week
the Shoups declare that one man and
his wife can care for 1000 pullets
and 500 hens, and also raise the
young stock each year.
The following prosperity state
ment of the poultry business, as out
lined by the Shoups, is being borne
out on scores of Lynden poultry
farms:
There seems to much misconcep-
ton as to the cost and necessary
stock and equipment required to
start a commercial poultry plant.
Size OF Flock. The least number
of pullets which can support even a
small family on a ranch which also
produces the necessary vegetables
and the sustenance for one or two
cows is about three hundred. They
must be bred to lay and sufficiently
early hatched to produce a maximum
yield during the period of highest
prices. The profit secured in the 4
months after Oct Is under modern
management equals that of the other
eight months. The flock, which is
of sufficient size to produce liveli-
hood for a family, permits the care
taker giving them all the care and
attention required. While, the flock
of one hundred fifty to two hundred
birds, not bringing in sufficient rev.
enue for the living, requires that the
bread-winner engage in some other
occupation to the consequent neglect
of the pullets. Hence the smaller
flock very rarely shows the profit per
bird of the larger flock.
The overhead expenses. such as
D time for delivery of produce and lur
chase of supplies. care for the chicks
and later the layers, the interest on
the land, and residence. fuel cost for
brooding, ETC., is practically the same
for two hundred as for five hundred
pullets. Hence it is advisable to start
with sufficient egg-making machin-
cry to insure a living.
The standard unit of brooding with
nearly all the room brooders on this
coast is one thousand chicks. Half
of these will prove to be males. and
will either have to be dispatched as
soon as the sex is determined or II
the hatch is reasonably early one
and there is some assurance OF get
ting them ready for broilers aheao
of the glutted early summer market
they may as broilers show fair re-
turn over feed cost. The statement
is frequently made that 1.-The cocker
els will pay for the raising OF the
nullets." 1t certainly is incorrect
when applied to commercial poultry
plants unless the plant has an es-
tablished reputation through trap
nesting the layers, and is 1ustihed IN
charging many times the meat price
for the males, when sold as breeders,
Cockerels hatched in January ana
early February can be marketed al
a handsome profit and in 1919 brot
not less than 60 cents per pound
while those Matched April i were Tor
tunate to find a 25-cent market. SO
necessary
evil and hope that you do not get
more than SO per cent Of your chicks
of this sex.
The mortality under good manage
ment averages ten to fifteen per cent
and accidents and culls bring the TO-
tai average loss up to twenty pei
cent. This estimate would leave four
hundred good pullets out of one thou
sand chicks.
We believe this is the right size
INIT for the prospective commercia
ege nroducer to start with. Reports
from many of our former poultry
students show an average OF apou'
four-hundred pullet flock, produced
d
from one thousand chicks.
Initial Cash Outlay. The cash out
law required for raising this four
hundred flock to the six months per
;od when they are self-supportihg
can be materially reduced by puiid
ing only the laying house the mrs
wear and arranging this building 10
the brooder. In determining the ac
tual profits on the business OF ia
ther the revenue derived from you
efforts. the labor charge OF carih'
for the chicks and layers may D.
eliminated; but. in determining I'M
. actual cost of producing dozen egg
!, should be added to the other cos's
the same as tho you were running
factory. To determine the ac'ua
oos, of running the plant, II 1t Is soie