The Washington herald., 1921-08-01
CHICKEN CENSUS
SHOWSlO,37OARE
NOW DISTRICT
Hens and BOOSTERS In
cluded Indiscriminately
In Census Figures.
FIGURES LARG Err
Gains Nearly 80 Per Cent
Over Number in
1910.

There were 10 $50 chickens Of the
egg laying variety in the pistrict
Of Columbia in 1920. according TO
returns OF the Bureau of Census.
They were not classified into the
hen or rooster division. but It was
officially stated that they laid 42.sSZ
dozen eggs in that year. which
would allow each inhabitant one
fresh egg per year. as his quota
without the aid of imports from
neighboring friendly hens.
This was an increase Of nearly
5000 chickens over thencensus taken
in 1910. No cause is given for this
increase of nearly 30 per cent, but
IL will be recalled that 1919 was
still a war year, from the standpoint
Of the national capital
ProhibItive Feeding Costs
Fanciers. including the army
navy and marine corps as well as
civilians, raised 14,1o3. chickens in
that year. Official figures show.
Raising chickens did not show such
great percentage increase over
the 1910 figures which were given
as 1880 by the Department OF
Commerce, but this may be laid TO
general economic conditions and the
high cost Of chicken feed, though
this is not so statd ofncialiy.
The number OF chickens on farms
according to the fourteenth census
was 3ss,57s.3s5. No division Of the
census records the number which
might be called "city" chickens.
though the figures given for the
District might possibly be in
terpreted by economists under that
head. These figures refer only to
chickens which were three months
old or more. and do not include
baby chicks" Of any class or style
The states which reported the
largest number of chickens on hand.
were Iowa with e7,746,510. Illinois
with 25.12o.e43 and Missouri with
24.sS3.eS5. These states are also
largo raisers of corn. and IL has
been found by experts that corn and
chickens go well together. No fig-
ures are available on the effect of
tale on chickens either as a food
or for busting purposes, but con-
siderable research Is being made in
that direction by many amateur as
well as professional fanciers. Iowa
also is one of the leading states in
automobiles, there being one for
every-7-persons.
Increase of 2.o Per Cent.
The total number of chickens
raised in 1919 is given as 473,s2S. 1885.
which is said to represent an in
crease Of 80 per cent. This figure.
the census admits, is partly an esti-
mate, complete figures from elevator
centers not Icing available. Many
changes have occurred and the
housing problem difficulties have
crept in to add further complica-
tions to the successful raising OF
chickens. The war taught many a
farmer boy the science Of shooting.
which is disastrous to chicken rails
ing. especially at night.
Chickens alone laid l.65S. $4,000
dozen eggs in 1919, all of which
were fresh when laid, and many OF
which were sold under that label.
Time means little or nothing to a
chicken in the egg stage. 1t is only
when II gets out OF the shell that
time begins to have any effect.
This time differential even holds
after the chicken gets to the res
taurant stage. Various economists
have often remarked on the time
which a chicken will take. for
proper dressing. without which
their market value is tremendously
deprecated.
By geographic divisions the na-
tion had the chickens divided as
follows: New England, 5.s03.5o7:
Middle Atlantic States. 27,452.43s:
South Atlantic States, 3s.407.610;
Mountain, 9,5f4,24o. and Pacific. 16.-
47t.375. The West Northern Central.
where the location of Main street
is laid lead all the other sections
with 105.s4S.09s. This shows what
a false idea of the true resources
OF the nation may be foisted of on
the public by novelists.
City Chickens.
The large number given for the
Middle Atlantic States is undoubted- =
ly due to the fact that New York
City lives in that section. ChickN ms
nave long expressed preference in
their dumb way for the life Of the
city. and returned travellers from
country sections have authentically
reported that many times chickens
may be seen on roofs. preparing for
possible trip to a roof garden.
Roof garden chickens to command
the top market prices. must be un-
usually well dressed, and the
preference is for the tender variety.
Roof training. 1t is claimed by ex-
perts. tends to harden the birds.
The Pacific section nearly doubled
Its number of chickens in ten years
from 1910 to 1919. 1t will be re-
called that the moving picture in
dustry was barely on its feet in
1910. and that 1t has expanded tre-
niendously in the last ten years in
this particular section Of the
country, which may tend to account
for the increase in the figure.
Though, on the other hand the in
crease in the figure in modern
chickens has rather tended toward
the debit side rather than the
credit. This fact was not considered