May, 1932] 



Economic Study of Poultry Farms 



19 



Labor Efficiency 



"When the farms are grouped by average number of layers, the total 

 hours of labor is greater for the larger flocks, but the total hours per 

 bird decreases from 10 hours in the less-than-500-birds group to ap- 

 proximately 5 hours per hen in the 1001-1500 group. (Table 12.) On 

 larger farms no significant change appears in hours per bird. It is well 

 to note that in the flocks of over 1000 birds about one half as much 

 labor was required per bird as in flocks under 500 birds. 



Table 12 — Labor reauirments and size of farm 



Labor summary 



The explanation of this wide difference in efficiency may lie partly 

 in the fact that the man with 500 birds spends more time because he 

 has proportionally more time to spend. He is disposed to use freely the 

 time which he has available. With a change in philosophy and in meth- 

 ods, perhaps he could just as well take care of more birds. 



Of course, most of the 500-bird flocks are operated by those just 

 entering the business or those feeling their way financially before ex- 

 panding too rapidly. If they are successful, in a few years they will 

 have the ability and capital to have a larger unit. The small farms are 

 often lacking in labor-saving equipment and in organization of work to 

 do things quickly. 



It is difficult to compare operations between farms because the men 

 combine jobs in different ways to such an extent that the time required 

 to do one particular task is indefinite. Gathering eggs, for instance, is 

 associated with watering at noon, with feeding at night and with cull- 

 ing in the morning. 



High labor requirements were due to one or more of the following 

 factors : 



1. Poor arrangement of buildings, requiring much travel in 



feeding, gathering eggs, etc. 



2. Poor water system, requiring much additional time in 



lugging water, cleaning utensils, etc. 



3. Unsystematic organization of daily chore work. 



4. Poultry in very small units requiring extra attention. 



5. Unhandy equipment or poor interior arrangement of pens. 



6. Physical ability of operator. 



7. Uneconomic management practices requiring large labor 



expenditure. 



