COSTS AND PROFITS 371 



of a hen ; such differences being of a minor character and difficult 

 to distinguish clearly from 'those of a broody hen. They will 

 cluck, though in an imperfect way, hunt food for the chicks, and 

 attack anyone who approaches the brood. 



Darwin states that capons are said to incubate eggs as well 

 as care for chicks, but the writer has no proof of this statement. 

 In fact, tests of capons are not extensive enough to warrant de- 

 finite conclusions, but it would appear entirely plausible that the 

 brooding instincts are after all not necessarily female character- 

 istics. Male pigeons, for example, assist in brooding and rearing 

 the young, as do guinea cocks and many wild birds. 



In housing capons very little space is required, providing the 

 quarters are kept clean. About two square feet per bird is 

 sufficient. They require very little care; one man can easily 

 take care of three to five thousand capons, which is a point in 

 favor of the practice. 



The cost of feeding a capon to maturity, or for twelve months, 

 is from eighty cents to a dollar and a quarter, depending upon the 

 cost of feed, and whether a fair portion of the daily fare is picked 

 up on the range. Add to this the cost of the operation, let us 

 say, five cents, and the cost of the chick at hatching time, and 

 we have a total cost of about a dollar and a quarter. Assuming 

 an average weight of eight and a half pounds for a twelve months' 

 bird, which is very conservative, with a selling price of thirty 

 cents a pound, the market value at killing time is two dollars 

 and fifty-five cents. This leaves a net profit of more than a 

 dollar and a quarter — a profit that compares very favorably 

 with the results obtained from a heavy laying hen. 



