POULTRY FOR PROFIT 17 



this difficulty. Better a too exposed situation than a 

 hollow where the air does not circulate at all or blows 

 through in a constant draft. Such a place is always 

 unhealthful and should be avoided. 



How Much Land? 



The amount of land necessary for a poultry farm 

 depends on the breed kept, the character of the soil 

 and the ability of the caretaker to keep yards and 

 houses clean and sanitary. In general a thousand 

 hens to five acres is a safe number, but many persons 

 succeed with less land. 



I know one chicken rancher who is making a good 

 living with 2000 hens on eight acres, another who is 

 very successful with 1500 hens on three and a half 

 acres, and still another who does a nice side-line 

 business with from 300 to 400 hens on a half acre. 

 These men, however, are experts, and the first two 

 keep White Leghorns, which thrive in closer confine- 

 ment than heavier fowls can bear, and can often be 

 raised intensively where Rocks or Orpingtons would 

 be a failure. 



It is very important that the poultryman raise his 

 own green feed, and as much as possible beside, and 

 the initial cost of the land is a small matter in com- 

 parison with the advantages that result from having 

 room for stock and garden. 



How Much Capital? 



The question is often asked, "How much capital is 

 needed for starting a poultry farm ?" This depends 

 largely upon the price of the land. In the most 

 highly cultivated parts of the state land suitable for 

 fruit and poultry can hardly be found for less than 

 $300 an acre. Close to markets and in localities 

 where irrigating water can be bought from plants 



