32 UNIV. OF N. H. AGR. EXPERIMENT STATION [Bulletin 217 



The average weight and prices received by fanners during the year 

 ending September 30, 1924, were as follows: 



Average weight. Price. 



Hens and roosters 4.4 lbs. 28 cents per jiound 



Broilers 2.0" 35| " " " 



Other poultry 11 .0 " 27 " " " 



Production. 



Poultry and egg production for sale is a minor source of farm income, 

 as shown in Table IX. In most districts, however, the income from 

 poultry ranks second to dairying. 



There are very few conmiercial poultrymen in the county. One poul- 

 tryman in Walpole has an exceptionally large commercial plant, with 

 a capacity of sixty to seventy thousand day-old chicks, but most of the 

 poultry raisers are farmers who keep a small flock as a side-line to a dairy 

 or other enterprise. 



Twenty-five per cent of the farm operators do not keep any poultry. 

 A good many of these men simply live on the farm and work in some out- 

 side industry. The average number of hens and pullets per farm on 

 October 1, 1924, and average egg production per hen and value of eggs 

 produced per hen, grouped according to size of flock are shown in Table 

 IX. 



Table IX. — Poultry production grouped nccording to size of flock on 184 farms for 



year ending Sepleinber 30, 19£4- 



* This grouping of poultry flocks is l)ased on the usual changes in size of poultry 

 flocks on farms. 



The average production per hen of 83 eggs is very low, but at the aver- 

 age price of 45 cents per dozen is worth $3.11. This is not an 

 exceptionally high return. It is simply an average, and many poultry- 

 men are receiving much more. The feed cost on the college flock at Dur- 

 ham, N. H., at February, 1925, prices was $2.93 per hen. Since the farm 

 flock picks up considerable feed about the place, the actual feed cost should 

 not be more than two-thirds of this amount, or $1.95 per hen. This would 

 leave $1.16 for labor, equipment, use of buildings and other expenses, 

 which most farmers would consider a fair return. 



Poultry raisers, however, could greatly increase their net returns by 



