HOW MANY CHICICS FOR 19^5? 

 By L. F. Stice, Extension Marketing Specialist 



On February 1 fanners indicated to the USDA Crop Reporting Service that they 

 planned to buy k percent fewer chicks this year than they bought in I9UU. Whether 

 they buy more or less than this number depends to a great extent upon the egg-feed 

 price relationship during the next few weeks. For the U. S. as a whole this relation- 

 ship was less favorable than the long-time average from November I9U3 until January 

 19^5. As a result farmers raised one-fifth fewer chicks in 19if4 than in I9I+5 (see 

 charts). 



Egg production in 19^5 is expected to be 8 to 10 percent below a year ago, 

 and the demand for eggs will continue at a high level. Egg prices are expected to 

 decline as production increases this spring, and the egg-feed price relationship may 

 again be no better than the long-time average. 



The national food production goals call for as many chickens and turkeys to 

 be raised on farms as in 194i^. There is a great need for poultry meat, and eggs will 

 be higher in price in the fall months. However, with normal culling and normal rates 

 of lay, the number of hens and pullets on farms January 1, 19^4-5, will produce the goal 

 for egg production this year. In view of these conditions farmers should keep their 

 laying flocks culled for efficient production and should raise pullets which will come 

 into production in the fall months. 



RELATION BETWEEN PRICES OF EGGS AND 

 POULTRY FEEDS (index 

 195^-^3 = 100) 



1^0 

 120 

 100 



80 



60 j- 



/' 



onthly ratio 



\ >L- 



(195^-^5 » 100)- ^ ■■ 



t ' I ' ' ' ■ I ' i ' 1 I ' I I I I i L t > ■ i ■ i 



CHICKENS RAISED AND CHICKENS 

 ON FARMS, U. S., 191^0- I9U5 



, Chickens 

 800. raised N^ 



600- 



i+00- 



200I 







Chickens on 

 farms Jan. 1 



19^5 



19^^ 



19i^5 



'^ Bas^d on February 1, 19^5 intentions. 



k^ av. 



