N. II. Agr. Experiment Station [Bulletin 265 



Data are needed on weekly consumption of feed and weekly gains of 

 chickens Erom beginning of brooding to 20 weeks of age in order that 

 the poultryman may be able to dispose of the male birds to the best 

 advantage. 



Labor efficiency studies are needed to determine in detail the most 

 efficient methods for each operation as guides to those who are now 

 unable to handle large numbers of layers. From this material there 

 should be projected types and sizes of poultry organizations for one- 

 man and two-man units. 



SUMMARY 



1. Detailed records for the period, September, 1929, to September, 

 1930, were secured by regular visits to 23 specialized commercial poul- 

 try farms in southern Xew Hampshire. These flocks averaged as fol- 

 lows: 995 layers; $13,424 investment; $2070 farm income; and $1399 

 labor income. 



2. Great variations in the amount of chore labor were found. The 

 range was from 1.1 to 5.8 hours per laying hen. The high labor re- 

 quirements on certain farms were due to poor arrangement of build- 

 ings, poor watering equipment, unsystematic organization, small size 

 of flock and uneconomic practices. 



3. Peed consumption averaged 8.7 lbs. per dozen eggs. Of the 104 

 lbs. of feed consumed by the average layer in a year, 40.5% was mash. 



4. Mortality and culling were found to reduce the size of the flock 

 to such an extent that the average population of layers was only 77% 

 of the maximum housed in the fall. Mortality averaged 16.9%, with 

 a range of 5.6 to 35.9%. Depreciation and mortality losses on layers 

 amounted to 10 cents per dozen eggs. 



5. Pullets exceeded old hens in production, averaging 150 eggs per 

 bird as compared with 112. Average production of all flocks was 145 

 eggs per layer, or 39.7%. 



6. Eggs were found to increase gradually in size from the beginning 

 of laying at about 24 weeks of age to a maximum size at 50 weeks of 

 age; but certain flocks showed a small-egg tendency during the whole 

 period, and other's a large-egg tendency. There was no evidence of re- 

 lationship between egg size and production. 



7. When price of eggs, egg size and production are considered, 

 early hatched pullets gave a higher return than late hatched; and 

 pullets gave better gross returns than old hens. 



S. As a rough statement of the cost of producing eggs, tin 1 follow- 

 ing formula was developed : 



17 ll.s. feed ~1 r 0.4 lbs. broiler 



().<i hours Labor [ produce ' "^ " )S- tmv ' 



4('- supplies 

 l::.7r overhead 



0.3 day old chick 



1 dozen eggs 



A similar formula was developed for the cost of producing 100 

 pullets. 



