30 POULTRY FARMING 



prices on the wholesale markets. The extended storage of eggs 

 over periods of two or more years for speculative purposes is dis- 

 couraged by law. There will always be a demand for fresh eggs, 

 because " An egg is an egg," — that is, a fresh egg is kno\\'n to 

 contain certain food materials that cannot be adulterated. 



With poultry products, more than with any other kind of farm 

 products, one can determine months in advance the approximate 

 price to be realized. The production of eggs is affected by tem- 

 perature, and the price varies accordingly. During the spring 

 months a heavy production is certain, and the price is always 

 lowest then. During the winter production is limited, and the 

 price received per dozen is high. Knowing this, the egg farmer 

 should tr3', by all known methods of care and management, to get 

 a maximum egg yield during the winter months, when the price 

 is high and a first-class market for fresh eggs is certain. 



Quick Returns for Money Invested. — The investor with small 

 capital must get returns quicklj- if he is to make a success of his 

 investment. Poultry keeping offers inducements to this kind of 

 investor, as there is no branch of animal husbandr}^ which offers 

 such quick returns. In anj^ branch of the business — whether eggs, 

 broilers, roasters, capons, or fancy stock — the products are ready for 

 market in a very short time. Considering the longest possible course 

 which one could pursue, — namely, the saving of eggs for hatching 

 to raise pullets to be kept for egg production, — the products will 

 be ready for market in from five to nine months, depending on the 

 breed kept. This one fact of quick returns explains why many 

 small investors are alwa3's starting into the business. 



Suited to Persons of Either Sex. — Poultry keeping requires no 

 complicated machinery or heavy equipment. For this reason it 

 is well suited to women as well as men. It is also suited to persons 

 who are unable to perform hard manual labor and who are willing 

 to put time and thought into the work at hand. 



It has been previously stated that the great mass of poultry 

 and eggs are produced as a side line on the general farms in the 

 central part of the United States. On the most of these farms the 

 routine work of caring for the birds is left largely to the women and 

 children, the men helping with the heavy chores. On many gen- 

 eral farms the women of the family take entire charge of the 

 hatching and rearing. Natural methods predominate, and very 

 satisfactory results are usually attained, owing to the fact that 

 they seem to understand the temperament of the sitting hen 



