6 N. H. Agr. Experiment Station [Bulletin 262 



The research also indicated that if a poultryman hopes to house 300 

 pullets in the fall, he needs to start approximately 700 baby chicks. 

 And he will require about $135 in cash to finance the venture the first 

 five months, in addition to the amount he spends for the chicks and 

 for labor. 



This phase of the investigations is particularly important, due to the 

 fact that the average New Hampshire poultryman replaces from 75 

 to 100 per cent, of his laying flock each year. The study covered a 

 one-year period and included 18 flocks with 63,300 chicks started and 

 over 26,700 pullets raised to maturity. Out of each 100 chicks started 

 42.26 pullets were housed. 



Total costs up to the time of housing each 100 pullets amounted to 

 $208.84, 48.3 per cent, of which went for feed, 22.7 per cent, for chicks, 

 14.8 for labor, 3.0 for fuel, 1.2 for litter, and 9.1 for interest, deprecia- 

 tion, taxes, and insurance. 



Credited to each 100 pullets at housing time were $77.61, represent- 

 ing the income from broilers, roasters, pullets and breeding cockerels, 

 and started chicks. Deducting this from the total expenditures leaves 

 a net cost of $131.23 to put 100 pullets in the laying pens at 21.8 weeks 

 of age. 



The detailed study of the 23 farms will be ready for publication 

 shortly and will include data on financial income and outgo, distribu- 

 tion of egg sizes by age of pullets, weekly egg production and grain 

 consumption of pullets by pens, weekly mortality and culling, weekly 

 egg production and grain consumption of old hens, and total grain 

 consumption of growing pullets. 



It is hoped that it will throw light on such problems as what is the 

 best time to hatch chicks to secure greatest returns and to what ex- 

 tent it is economic to cull laying stock under different situations as to 

 price of grain and eggs. 



H C. Woodworth and Frank D. Reed have been in charge of the 

 project, with Mr. Reed giving full time to it, (P urn ell Fund) 



Dairy Survey in Grafton County 



Willi reasonable price conditions, the two most important needs of 

 the Connecticut River dairy farms in Grafton county are to improve 

 the production of the dairy cows and increase the number of them on 

 each farm. 



This is according to a survey of approximately 400 farms in 15 out of 

 the 39 towns in the county by M. Gale Eastman. The results have 

 been published in Bulletin 260, "An Economic Study of Dairy Farm- 

 ing in Grafton County, New Hampshire, 1930." 



Higher quality cows need to-be obtained, either through breeding 

 or by purchase. The average production at the time of the survey was 

 only 5,150 pounds of milk. 



Probably the most desirable business unit in this area is from 30 to 

 60 cows. This would mean a large farm, a good labor organization 

 for from two to three men and modern labor-saving machinery and 

 conveniences. These are now reasonably large businesses with an av- 



