38 



THE AMERICAN POULTERER'S COMPANION. 



on the subject ; but it must be borne in mind, 

 however, that these statements have been given 

 generally as extraordinary products. 



The editor of the Massachusetts Plowman 

 tells us that he obtained 7200 eggs in one year 

 from 83 hens this was his highest number of 

 fowls ; he sometimes had less that for 6744 he 

 received $100. The whole amount of his cash 

 expenditures was $56 43, leaving him a balance 

 of $43 57. 



It is stated in the Farmer's Journal that from 

 150 hens 1900 eggs were obtained in the month 

 of January ; and that five pullets produced 300 

 eggs from the middle of October to the middle 

 of April, which is the coldest part of the year. 



Mr. Morent furnishes the following remarka- 

 ble instance: He had three pullets of the Po- 

 land variety, which were hatched in June. De- 

 cember the fifteenth following, they began to lay, 

 and from that time to the next December laid 

 524 eggs cost of keeping not exceeding $3 71. 

 They were fed on barley, rice, and peas. 



A friend living on Staten Island, informs me 

 that from 55 hens and 7 ducks he obtained in the 

 month of January 182 eggs in February, 324 

 March, 792 April, 878 May, 915 June, 

 746 July, 534 August, 650 September, 346 

 October, 68 November, 5 December, 69 

 making in all for the year 5509. Allowing the 

 seven ducks to have laid 70 eggs each, would 

 leave 5019, which, divided by 55, gives an aver- 

 age of 91 eggs to each hen. These hens were 

 fed from six to eight quarts of cracked corn per 

 day, and occasionally boiled potatoes. Averag- 

 ing the feed at seven quarts per day, we have 

 within a fraction of 80 bushels of corn which, 

 at fifty cents per bushel, amounts to $40 ; and 

 allowing the eggs to be worth $1 50 per hun- 

 dred, we have $75 78, from which deduct $40 

 for food, including the ducks, and we have a 

 profit of $35 78, besides 60 chickens, which, at 

 20 cents each, would swell the profits up to 

 $47 78. He gives the preference to the crested 

 variety for eggs. 



Another friend who resided in the city of 

 Troy, and kept between 30 and 40 hens, obtain- 

 ed eggs from his hens throughout the year; 

 that is, there was not a single day in which he 

 did not obtain some. This he accounted for 



by having very early chickens, as when the old 

 hens ceased laying to moult the young pullets 

 commenced. In 1842 he kept between 25 and 

 30 hens, and obtained 2832 eggs. This, it will 

 be seen, gives a fraction over 94 eggs to each 

 hen, which is nearly double the number we ob- 

 tained from our hens. 



In 1840 my hens commenced laying on the 

 7th of February, and between that period and 

 the 15th of August, when they commenced to 

 moult, we obtained 2655 eggs from 60 hens ; 

 when the year previous, from 100 hens, which 

 were suffered to run at large, we did not get 

 but few over 1000. In 1841 they commenced 

 laying the 8th of January, and continued to lay 

 until the 27th of September, when they ceased 

 entirely, but commenced again on the 13th of 

 October, and continued to lay until the 18th of 

 November, when they ceased, and commenced 

 again on the 1st of December; and up to the 

 1st of January they produced over 4000 eggs. 

 In 1842 I had 71 hens, which produced within 

 the year 3509 eggs. In 1843 I kept 60 hens, 

 and obtained 3978 eggs. 



PROFITS. 



In order to ascertain by demonstration, and 

 to satisfy myself whether the keeping of fowls 

 were profitable or not, I commenced in 184U 

 keeping debit and credit account with the poul- 

 try-yard. I had 71 hens, 12 cocks, 2 ducks, 2 

 drakes, 3 turkeys, 1 turkey cock, 5 geese, and 

 2 ganders in all 98 head. They consumed 

 within the year as follows : 

 91 bushels Wheat screenings, 



6 



11 



2 



3 



2 



10 



Rye. 



Millet 



Indian Corn . . . 



Barley 



Indian Meal . . . 

 Small Potatoes 



at 21 cts $1911 



5* 375 



5* 662 



5s 1 25 



4s 1 50 



8* .. 200 



1* 1 25 



$3548 



I obtained 3500 eggs, valued at $35 09 



Sold fowlsfor 2 00 



9 Geese 4 75 



5 Turkeys 1 87 



30 Fowls 5 63 



60 Ducks' eggs , 



54 Goose eggs 1 62 



8 Ibs. Goose Feathers at 5s 5 00 



From which deduct for feed 56 79 



3548 



Net profit $2131 



