Poultry-Farming on a Large Scale. 



oversight as shall secure the former object. In the solution of the question we are now considering, 

 the real point is whether these difficulties are insuperable. We do not think they are, and it may 

 be well to see in rather more detail how the matter stands. 



We have already shown that a stock of fowls could be secured veiy speedily which would 

 give an average of 150 eggs per annum-; and as we have also seen that the average price of French 

 eggs for years past has been about 6s. per 120, this would give a gross cash return of /s. 6d. for each 

 bfrd. We have also seen that even in confinement the food should never cost more than three half- 

 pence or three cents per head per week for the large breeds; and allowing for the difference in buying 

 wholesale, for some birds of smaller breeds, and especially taking into consideration, what we have 

 already said is in our opinion a matter of vital importance to the increase of poultry in England, 

 the home growth of buckzvhait, we are quite sure that on a large scale the food alone would 

 not amount to 4s. per annum per bird, and might possibly not exceed 3s. We will, however, 

 take the highest estimate, add only 6d. per annum for the manure, and hence consider that each 

 fowl represents a gross profit over her food of 4s. per anntrm. This would give a gross profit 

 of ^200 per annum for each thousand fowls ; and the question is, whether this sum will pay 

 wages and other expenses, interest on capital, and leave a satisfactory piofit over. We think it 

 can be shown that this would be the case. 



One great recommendation of the plan for a poultry-building given in Fig. 10, is its cccnomy 

 both in cost of construction and in the labour of supervision. We will suppose that for reasons 

 given further on, the thousand fowls are divided into flocks of fifty, with half an acre to each ; 

 and this half acre should be arranged as a plot of grass land about eighty feet by three hundred feet. 

 Then such a double shed as figured at page 14, of eighty feet in length, would accommodate 100 

 fowls, besides offering a certain amount of spare shedding for other purposes ; and we have ascertained 

 that it could be put up for something about the sum of ;£'35. Perhaps, including the fencing of the 

 open run, we ought to allow a cost of ^^40 per hundred for buildings and permanent fixtures ; 

 though on a large scale we believe a saving upon this might be effected. We have also ascertained, 

 by careful trial in our own yard, by numerous inquiries, and by observation, that one man who 

 "understands the business" can easily superintend 1,000 fowls, in twenty such flocks as we 

 have indicated ; and we will also assume the thousand fowls to cost on an average 2s. 6d. each, 

 and that it is necessary to provide spare cash to pay food and wages for at least ten weeks. Then 

 the capital invested for each thousand fowls will be as follows : 



Buildings, as per estimate 



One thousand Fowls 



Food and Wages for ten weeks 

 Utensils, Machines, &c., say 



;^4C0 



125 



50 



25 



And the revenue account \Vould stand somewhat as follows : — 



By Gross Profit on 1,000 Fowls 



Dr. 



To Interest on £(iOO ... 



,, Wages, a.t£l per week 



,, Rent, ten acres, at £2 



,, Taxes, say 



„ Net Profit 



Cr. 



£3,0 



52 

 20 



4 

 94 



;^200 



^200 



/200 



Now, in considering such a statement, the first thing which might probably strike any one 

 conversant with agricultural pursuits would be, that the capital invested amounts to ^60 per acre, 

 13 



