Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1920-09-17
psoFtr FOR PoULTRYMEN
is IN THE EGGS
Rsport Of Idaho Experiment Station
Results


Results
THAT poultry meat can not be pro-
dnced at a profit even under favorable
conditions and that the profit IN the
yso,Ity business is in the production Of
e0es and the sale OF poultry meat
should be considered simply as by
nroduct of egg production. is shown by
experiments just completed by the
department OF poultry husbandry OF the
University of Idaho. S. p. Smyth. poul-
trv husbandman, explains that "Pul-
lots" must be raised to replace the old
hans and consequently an equal num-
nor of cokerels will be produced which
must be disposed of for meat. The
income from the cockerelS simply re-
duces the cost of producing the pullets
and is not a profitable enterprise in 1t
self. Where the best methods are used
the chicks make more rapid growth,
have less mortality and are produced
Mt less cost than where they are ne
elected.
Very few people know what 1t COSTS
them to raise their chickens or reailze
what they must get for their broilers
- ba able to make a profit on them
This is one of the questions that the
Doultry department is trying to ma
1920 with $50 single comb White Leg
horn chicks. These chicks are being
raised bv the most economical methods
and are not on complicated rations OF
nigh priced feeds The results are
such as can be duplicated by any care
fuI poultryman. but are better than
are ordinarily obtained
..'These $50 chicks were put in a SIT.
nv 16ft. colony house which was equip
ned with a coal burning brooder stove.
The chicks were given their trst Ieed
when about sixty hours old. This teed
consisted of a grain mixture Of hve
narts cracked corn, three parts or
cracked wheat and two parts OF pm
head oats, all cracked and graded 10
the proper size for young chicks. rms
grain was fed sparingly at first. hve
times a day on paper plates. ater IN
tho litter. all they would clean up IN
thirty minutes five times day rms
grain mixture was fed for eight weeks
after which time it was changed to a
grain ration of equal parts of whole
corn and whole wheat. When the
chicks were ten days old dry mash OF
bran and shorts was started and TINS
vas kept before the chicks ut all
times. From the time the chicks were
given their flrSt IeeU Oh gram SOut
milk was kept before them at all
times. For the first eight weeks no
water was given so as to force the
chicks TO drink all the milk possible.
After the eighth week water was CIV
en- in the afternoons. Grit, charcoal
and ground bone were kept before the
chicks in hoppers. The brooder house
was located in lot 25ft by 1o0ft. well
set to alfalfa. on which the chicks were
allowed to run on all days that the
weather would permit
"An accurate record was kept of all
the expense by periods of two weeks.
At the end of twelve weeks the cock
erels were developed enough to sell
as broilers and they were weighed out
and crdited TO the experiment. The
nuilets will be kept to laying age and
the cost of producing them obtained.
The following table gives the
amounts of feed fuel and labor used
arc. the cost Of each tn July 18th. when
the chicks were twelve weeks old.
Cost of Production