24 POULTRY FARMING 



to build up a large plant before it is on a paying basis. For this 

 reason inexperienced investors often blame their managers for 

 things which they cannot avoid. Due care should be exercised in 

 the selection of the manager. Then it is best to outline the charac- 

 ter of the work to be followed and leave the details to the manager. 



Before investing in any way, one should get all information 

 possible from all sources. A good poultry text-book should be 

 supplemented by poultry journals. Take trips to large, up-to-date 

 poultry plants ; and make a study of general and local market con- 

 ditions. There are many opportunities open to the investor which 

 offer surer returns than poultry keeping. This is shown clearly 

 when the conditions, causing the failure of so many of our large 

 poultry plants, are studied closely. 



Poultry Keeping for Family Use. The object of keeping small 

 flocks of poultry on most of our farms and suburban lots is two- 

 fold: (1) to supply eggs and fresh poultry for the home table; 

 (2) to market, at a profit, what is not consumed at home. 



On very many general farms, the fowls are considered as a 

 side issue and of no great importance. Consequently, in the 

 majority of cases, neglect is found and unsatisfactory results must 

 be expected. There is usually no one to take special care of the 

 birds; there is no judgment used in breeding scrubs and mongrels 

 are often kept; any. house which will barely keep the birds dry is 

 considered good enough ; and scraps from the table and steady ra- 

 tions of corn are considered sufficient. Not until some member of 

 the family, whether child or parent, takes hold of the matter and 

 changes the improper conditions, does the flock show its true worth. 

 It must be recognized that the farm flock, no matter what its size, 

 has a direct financial value. The greater care and attention the 

 fowls receive the greater will be the returns. By breeding and 

 selection, the mongrels should be eliminated and pure-bred stock 

 introduced. This will increase the value of the birds for market 

 and breeding purposes. The birds must be given well-built and 

 sanitary houses and proper feed to secure the products which are 

 expected of them. Often a start made in this small way develops 

 until the owner finds himself a breeder of no small rank. 



The main purpose of the family flock is usually profit, and the 

 pleasure side of it is often under-estimated. The owner should 

 consider the fowls scattered about the home as an asset in beauti- 

 fying the same, and making it more livable. They give the poorer 

 man in the country and city who loves domestic animals a luxury 



