204 MY POULTRY DAY BY DAY 
Chief Registrar of Friendly Societies, and a copy can be obtained 
on application to the Secretary of the Society. 
In a district where either an agricultural or an industrial co- 
operative society already exists it may be possible to induce that 
society to add the sale of eggs and poultry to its operations, and 
it is desirable to adopt this course wherever possible. 
In Van Nuys, California, recently taken into the city limits of 
Los Angeles by annexation, there is a colony of some hundred 
and fifty fanciers who, through circumstances, were brought up 
co-operators, and have grown to their present stage without having 
had to fight single-handed the battles that are part of every 
poultryman’s life. 
The birth of the colony came about under rather unusual 
circumstances some five years ago. At that time Van Nuys was 
mostly a new subdivision, with not much except future possibilities 
to attract. The soil, climate and water supply were sufficiently 
promising to invite investment in small tracts, most of these 
being five acres. The allotments were sold on the payment plan, 
with the result that when the lean years arrived there were buyers 
who found themselves with incomes reduced or shut off, without 
positions, and facing the loss of what money they already had 
invested. 
Practical business men got together and talked things over a 
bit. They figured if they would get some quickly produced crop 
from the lands to provide a living during the lean period, threatened 
disaster might be averted. A meeting was held at which it was 
decided to investigate the conditions for poultry-raising, and it 
finally was decided to make the venture. 
There were thirty-three agreed to begin with 1500 baby 
chicks each, but before a move was made every one of the 
novices took a trip of investigation to Petaluma, the largest 
poultry-producing point in the state. 
The co-operative feature started with the bringing of the first 
chick into the brooders. It was realised that a saving could be 
made in contracting for the chicks in large quantities ; in buying 
the grain feed and other needed supplies. The saving thus 
