82 MASS. EXPERIMENT STATION BULLETIN 251 



Table 8. Net Differences in Labor Return per Bird Associated with 

 Differences in Index of Change in Flock Size.* 

 Relation of Average Number Labor Return per Bird 



1927 

 Dollars 

 1.75 

 2.11 

 2.47 

 2 83 

 3.19 

 3.55 

 3.91 



* With other factors studied held constant at their average values. 

 (See footnote, Table 4, p. 79.) 



An increa.se of 10 per cent in the index of ciiange in flock size was related 

 to an increase of 37 cents lal)or return per bird in 1926, and 36 cents in 

 1927. The variation in the index of change in flock size is given in Table 9. 

 The range was from 50 to 130 per cent. The high percentages came about 

 because of an increase in size of flock in the fall over the preceding year. 



Table 9. Poultry Flocks Classified According to Index of Change in 



Flock Size. 



Number of Flocks Studied 



1927 



11 



25 



42 



32 



14 



6 



2 



1 



1 



134 



Death Loss and CuUiiu/: — The full extent of disea.'^e and death losses in 

 the poultry business cannot be shown from these records, because some 

 cooperators who suft"ered large losses did not finish the year's record. For 

 those who did complete records, however, Table 10 shows something of the 

 relative importance of deaths and culling. This table gives the cumulated 

 reduction from death and from culling at 3 month intervals from Nov- 

 einber 1 for all flocks in 1927. 



About one-fourth of the flock reduction during the first six months of 

 the year was due to death. This is a serious loss, for a bird lost through 

 death not only decreases the size of the flock, but means one less fowl to 

 ,'ell. .\ culle*d bird reduces the size of the flock, but does bring in some 

 income from her sale. 



Considerable difference in death less is shown by the fact that on two- 

 thirds of the farms studied death losses ranged from 5.3 per cent to 17.9 

 per cent of the initial number. 



