POULTRY KEEPING FOR BUSINESS AND PLEASURE 23 



who likes it, there is always a great pleasure to be derived from it 

 as well as a great variety in the day's routine. 



Unskilled poultry labor receives about the same rate of wage 

 as the average farm laborer of the same locality; but there is a 

 much greater chance for study and rapid advancement for those 

 who are anxious and ambitious to reach better things. 



The field of poultry labor lies open to young men who are 

 desirous of taking up some form of farm work and who have not 

 the time nor money to devote to an extended education along 

 other lines of agriculture. A few months spent in one of the modern 

 poultry short courses will equip an energetic and ambitious young 

 man so that he can get a start. He can learn the fine points of the 

 business by experience on poultry plants and, at the same time, 

 get an income from it. 



Poultry Keeping as an Investment. This phase of poultry keep- 

 ing is the placing of one's money in the poultry business without 

 devoting any time or labor to its management. The investment 

 of surplus funds where the investor does not manage the business 

 is generally a bad policy. Success largely depends (1) on the 

 selection of a manager, (2) on the owner's knowledge of the busi- 

 ness and its requirements, and (3) on the amount of capital which 

 can be used when necessity demands. 



Poultry raising, being a business of details, requires very care- 

 ful and conscientious management, more so than any other branch 

 of farm work. The manager must be well trained in the practical 

 side of poultry raising as well as the theoretical. The more years of 

 actual experience he has had the better. If the one who is invest- 

 ing his funds in poultry work has a fair knowledge of the business 

 in a practical way, good results are much surer. Location and situa- 

 tion with reference to markets are important items to be considered 

 before making a heavy investment. If one has a large amount of 

 capital, he is much surer of making a success; he is then able to 

 meet any emergency of any kind and still continue the business. 

 Set-backs and poor seasons will happen, and one should never in- 

 vest his entire means. Keep a reserve to help in extreme cases. 



The first investment should not be too heavy. It is better 

 to start in a limited way until one can determine what the returns 

 will actually be. The investment can be increased yearly as the 

 business increases. A slow normal increase is much better and 

 surer than an extremely rapid and abnormal one. Poultry keeping 

 as an investment must be on a large scale, and it often takes years 



