White Bluffs spokesman. [volume] (White Bluffs, Wash.) 1907-1938, 1924-01-18
Washington Poultry
Conditions Better
w. d. Buchanan, Extension Poultry
Specialist

Every business man likes to take
stock at the end of the year. He
likes to know how far he has come
in the year that is past and what
the outlook is for the future. The
poultryman's year is at its close.
What have we done; what have we
attempted to do; and what have we
accomplished?
We have taken a survey that
shows in some detail the status of
the industry in the state. 1t has
shown US that the average produc-
ton of our commercial flocks Is 1854
eggs per hen, and that the average
of our best farm flocks is only ten
eggs less.
1t disclosed the fact that In 1922
we raised 1874 pullets out OF every
thousand chicks Matched, and that in
1928 we raised 387, gain Of three
pullets per thousand chicks.
We have trained $50 community
leaders to Gull hens for egg produc-
ton. These leaders are pledged to
go into their respective communities
and train others to do the thing that
they have been taught to do. This
means that the knowledge of culling
is. spreading rapidly and that the
time is coming when no one will keep
the Stacker hem
We have completed the organiza-
ton of the Washington Accredited
Hatchery and Breeders Association,
This organization had its inception
at meeting held in Seattle in Aug
ust, 1922. Preliminary rules and reg
ulations were considered in January,
1923, revised ON June 4, 1928, and f.
nally adopted on September 10. Up
to date there are u poultrymen, with
a total of 36,412 breeders, on the &C
credited flock list: rs hatcheries with
a total Matching capacity of $4,000
eggs, on the accredited hatchery list;
and IL trap-nesters, with total Of
1866 pullets, on the accredited trap.
nest list. And this is only the be
ginning.
We organized two demonstration
accredited hatcheries in the winter
OF 1929, one in Mason County and
one in Whatcom County. The one
lin Mason County was small and was
therefore more easily checked. II
had 10 accredited focks with a total
OF 1900 breeders and one accredited
hatchery, with a Matching capacity
Of $4,000 eggs. This hatchery sci
35,639 eggs and Matched $500
chicks, or u per cent OF all the eggs
set. This is IL per cent higher than
the survey shows for the same coun-
ty in 1922. 1t is 17.3 per cent higher
than the average for the state. Brood
er records on 10000 OF the chicks
Matched shows that the poultrymen
raised 451 pullets out of each thou,
sand chicks Matched. This is "a
more than the average for the state.
In Whatcom County the demonstra-
ton hatchery included 66 f1ocks, with
a little over $1,000 breeders and a
udCCuluS CdpdClIy uA 1OoyUVV o66c.
Because Of the number involved It
was not 80 easy to keep tab on the
results. An estimate made by MI.
B. G. Young, who was secretary of
the association, indicates that the
saving on Matching eggs amounted
to Is per cent. This is 2 per cent
lower than the Mason County re-
suits, but it Is Is per cent higher
than the state average.
II these records are any indication
OF what is to take place next year
under the state accredited hatchery,
they show that we have made real
progress. Add to this the fact that
the Washington Cooperative Egg &
Poultry Association has had the best
year in it's history and that there
has recently been organized COM
mittee to advertise eggs and poultry
products, and we. have evidence that
the poultrymen have been awake and
that the industry is looking forward
to a bright future.