The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1922-04-22
MUST RUSH ALL SHIPMENTS
One TOpekaR Received 1000
Chicks From Florida.
Percentage of Loss Is Very
Small, Says Rigby.

Eiatehing and selling baby chicks,
an industry which has grown rapidly
during the past few years with the
advent Of the large incubator, has be
come an important factor every spring
n the parcel post business. according
10 Postmaster W o. Rigby-
Dozens Of boxes filled with baby
chicks may be found in the Topeka
postofdce any day at present and the
clerks have become used to the yeeP-
ing, cheePing music from thousands OF
ting threats Not only are local ship
ments heavy but scores Of parcels OF
chicks from 0ther hatcheries are
transferred AZ this point
There may be a congestion in the
local postoffice on account OF a short
age Of space but it doesn't apply to
the baby chicks Being shipments OF
the most psrishable nature. boxes
carrying chicks are kept on the move
as fast as possible That is the reason
the number Of shipments is so vivid in
the minds OF -hs postoffice clerks
Chicks Are shipped Very Young
Usually only chicks that are under
forty eight hours old are sold and the
quicker they can reach their destina-
ton the better. The boxes are usually
OF the heavy pasteboard variety with
holes cut 10 admit air but very little
LElE AArG must also De taken 20 =
vent the rope or cord cutting into the
boxes and in devisiug means for that
purpose a great variety Of ingenuity
is shown Some shippers stuff paper
under the cord, some use wooden
blocks. others sticks Of various kinds,
and one shipper in western Kansas
whose shipments are often transferred
at Topeka. uses good old Kansas corn
cob
But the service which the parcel
post offers 70 this class Of business is
surprisingly efficient Charles Mat
rheWs OF North Topeka who ships
thousands OF baby chicks each spring.
saws that IS per cent OF his shipments
80 out by parcel post and his first
complaint over losses was made TO
Postmaster Rigby this week And this
loss was OF a very unusual nature
Somewhere along the line rats got in
10 a box and killed about forty chicks.
Last fall H L Peppmeyer advised
Postmaster RiGby that he was expect
ing 1000 chicks from Florida. and
on account OF the distance they were
coming, asked 10 be notified the min
ute they reached the pOstoffice which
vas done Examining the shipment,
Peppmeyer was pleased TO learn that
1892 OF the chicks were alive and
healthy Only eight had succumbed
en- route
Much Credit to His Wife
1Ir. Matthews admits that it was
something OF an accident that he got
into the business OF raising baby
chicks, and he willingly gives his wife
much OF the credit FOR their success.
Nine years ago. Mrs Matthews started
the venture with one incubator OF $50
egg Capa city. Today they have fifty
SIX incubators. running from $50 TO
400 eggs each. with a combined ca
uacirE OF $4,000. and operate under
The name OF the Charma Hatchery. the
first word being a combination OF their
first names. Charles and Nay"
The Charma Hatchery operates four
months in the spring of each year but
Matthews declares that he and his
wife do a years work in that time.
They look after the incubators by
shifts Matthews says that midnight
is his getting Up time after retiring
at 4:30 o'clock in the afternoon. i've
turned $4,000 eggs this morning said
Matthews when interviewed and il
was then about 10 o'clock
Iucubators at the Charma Hatchery
are set with eggs every other day
and the matches come Off accordingly.
This affords an opportunity TO get
the chicks into the mali before an
other big hatch is ready the next day.
clusively in Rhode Island Reds.
Barred Rocks and White Leghorns
but Will soon turn off a large number
Of White Rocks. Orders for chicks
but principally from the east The
orders result rom farm paper advcr-
Using and Matthews admits that bust
ness IS good We get tired OF opening
our mail AMI sometimes we hate 10
see another batch of letters co1e-iu.- %
ne said He refused TO venture a guess
rs TO the number OF chicks he and
his wife have shipped from Topeka
since they entered the business but
it is well on the way toward a half
million
Eggs used by the Charma Hatchery
are purchased from farmers with
purebred flocks under contract made
before the Matching season opens This
enables farmers who care to produce
eggs OF this standard an opportunity
10 realize premium Of about IS per
case. Matthews says. over the regular
market prices