POULTRY FOR PROFIT 41 



or eight months, though there are many individuals 

 that begin to lay earlier, so one can hardly afford 

 to hatch these breeds later than March if he wants 

 fall eggs. If they are hatched as early as the first 

 of March, they are likely to molt if fed too heavily, 

 so the breeder must guide his bark between the 

 evils of late hatching on the one hand and those of 

 fall molting on the other. Pullets hatched in the 

 last two weeks of March are not very likely to molt 

 in the fall, and they should be ready to lay by No- 

 vember first if they are well fed. 



January is the time for hatching early broilers 

 and fryers. This is more profitably done with the 

 heavier breeds than with the Mediterraneans, for 

 they reach broiler size sooner. As an Orpington 

 of good strain should weigh two pounds at nine or 

 ten weeks of age, January and February hatched 

 broilers will be ready for market in time to bring 

 the cream of the high prices, which is usually from 

 35 to 40 cents per pound, live weight. 



September is a good time for hatching either 

 broilers or roasters. There is a particularly good 

 market for soft roasters about the first of February 

 when these September hatched birds should weigh 

 from six to eight pounds. 



In planning for fall and winter hatching, the cost 

 of eggs should be taken into account. In August 

 market eggs are worth 35 or 40 cents a dozen, in Jan- 

 uary about the same, and in December a little more. 

 In March they will not bring over 25 cents retail. 

 Thus the chick that is hatched in January costs, out- 

 side of expense of hatching, about twice as much 

 as the April chick. On the other hand, January 

 chicks in this climate are hardier than April hatched 

 chicks. A larger per cent of the chicks hatched 

 will live, and they will reach market size earlier. 



