THE DOLLAR HEN FARM 
very accurate calculation, for it is here that the personal 
element that determines success or failure enters. The Ar- 
kansas per-hen-day figures (see last chapter), multiplied by 
the average quotation for extras in the New York market, will 
be as fair as any, and certainly cannot be considered a high 
estimate, as it is only 113 eggs per hen per year. 
Price per doz Income for 
Eggs per Extras month from 
hen day in New York 2000 layers 
JANUALY we cssve ss ceedsss 32 $ .80 $494.00 
February 6scssccns sees oe 30 29 404.00 
Mareh i iiieis cance oancieve ds 62 22 700.00 
APPL: oc aeed set eaters ds .38 19 350.00 
May” sees sciainny c's Quai veiaparecacens 44 19 429.00 
JUDG gs gees see Skee OS 42 18 377.00 
JULY ss savwascviccecsteeees 34 21 367.00 
AUSUSE: wig sic s-ccnctaacawes .38 22 429.00 
September .............. 21 25 262.00 
OCtObE? isis hence sew ss 22 28 316.00 
November .............. 18 38 267.00 
December .............- 15 32 246.00 
Ota as screjia oe agesais va dtepavsieocauratee ...-$4,641.00 
The total income as figured will be $5,221. From this sub- 
tract the cost of production, and we have still nearly $3,000, 
which is to be combined item of wages and profit. We have 
entered no labor bill because this 1s to be a one-man farm, 
and with the assistance of the public hatchery and co-opera- 
tive marketing association, which will send a wagon right to a 
man’s door to gather the eggs, it is entirely feasible for one 
man to attend to two thousand hens. In the rush spring sea- 
son other members of the family will have to turn out and 
help, or a man may be hired to attend the plowing and 
rougher work. 
This is a good handsome income, and yet the above price 
of the man’s labor—it is only about one dollar per hen, which 
has always been the estimated profit of successful poultry 
keeping. As a matter of fact, this profit is seldom reached 
under the old system of poultry keeping, not because the 
above gross income cannot be reached, but because the ex- 
penses are greater. Under the present methods, with the ex- 
ception of the rearing of the young chicks, one man can easily 
take care of three thousand hens. Indeed, practically the only 
work in their care is cultivating the ground and hauling 
69 
