Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1933-02-23
POULTRY RAISING


When we read in the papers about
the Income Tax, the Unemployment
Insurance and the Muscle Shoals pro-
ject, it seems to me we are going to
pay dearly for that kind of legisla-
ton. Some means has to be figured
out to help pay the increasing taxes
which are bound to come. More poul-
try on our farms will be one means
of helping the situation.
The past season poultry has been
the best paying commodity on the
farm. The farmer with eggs to sell
hasn't had to worry about where the
money was coming from to pay for
his groceries. We do not know what
prices are in store for the farmers
this coming year but poultry products
have the brightest outlook. Egg
prices at present are low, but still
show a profit above feed cost.
Government reports from the early
Matching states, which are the con-
trolling price area for the Eastern
markets, show a decrease in the
amount of chicks Matched. This will
no doubt affect the egg prices for
the Northwest this coming winter.
The present price on live and dressed
poultry is far above the average price
on beef and pork. The average pound
of pork on foot will not buy Il
postage stamp while a pound of poul-
try meat will buy three stamps and
two postal cards. l am comparing
the farmers products with the gov
ernment's. If the government would
alone and not try to make electricity
and sell wheat the farmers and the
entire country would be better off. Of
course that comes under the head of
politics and its poultry l am inter-
ested in.
At time like this when we are
all wondering what we are going to
use for money it is necessary to figure
out a way to raise our chicks as
cheaply as possible without effecting
their egg production next winter.
But we must remember it does take
feed and not buy any more chicks
than we can feed right. Many farm
ers this year cannot buy chicks who
would like to, because they cannot
get the money. This tends to make
shortage next winter.
At the present feed costs we figure
it takes about four cents per chick
for feed until they are six weeks old
and up to nine weeks about six cents
more per chick. Your pullet is then
worth about so cents. Your broiler
will pay your feed cost for raising
your pullet less the original cost of
the chick. Your feed cost now should
be less than 81 per 100 pounds, your
pullet ready to lay will cost around
25 cents for feed and one months egg
production and she has paid for her.
self.
Some farmers with no brooder stove
and none of the real necessities are
raising chicks with any ordinary stove
and they are doing fine. l delivered
1000 chicks to a farmer last year and
he put these chicks upstairs in a
room and had an ordinary heating
stove At the age of six weeks he
transferred them to his poultry house.
| met this man again this winter and
he had averaged 1919 production and
he forgot to mention depression.
am not advising farmers to have
chicks in their houses or to go with
out broOder stoves but when money is
scarce, raise their chicks any way
they can. After all the main thing
is heat, clean water without any dope
in it and one brand of feed. What
ever you start with stick to that kind.
Above all else use common sense.
Watch your chicks and you can tell
if the temperature is correct or not.
About the price of chicks, there is
a fair price to pay but don't let any
one overcharge you in order to pay for
their unreasonable advertising. Find
out before you buy if your hatchery
man is producing a strain of Leghorns
that is bringing him in real cash dur
ing the winter months. No poultry
man who is depending on eggs is
keeping any hens that he doesn't
think are the best he can buy and Sc
when you see four or five different
grades of chicks advertised, the the
DRY is some sucker will want to pay