ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION. yg 



bandry, the results are dependant largely upon individuality of the ani- 

 mal and of the attention given by the owner. Long experience of farm- 

 ers and poultry keepers has shown that a flock of hens may be kept so 

 as to give a return ranging from a considerable net loss on food consum- 

 ed and labor, to a profit of as much as $5.00 per fowl. Yet under good 

 average conditions, with fair fowls, suitable food and a reasonable amount 

 of intelligent care, it ought not to be difficult to arrive at a basis which 

 will show what a flock of hens are capable of earning. 



There were entered in our money-in-poultry contest, which closed 

 April 1, 1901, over 500 contestants who sent in their reports. These came 

 from every state and territory in the union. The flocks varied in size 

 from 10 to 500 fowls. All manner and sizes of houses and yards were 

 used and every condition presented which is likely to be found on this 

 continent so that an average taken from the figures given will necessar- 

 ily show what the American hen can and is doing, under average condi- 

 tions. In computing these results we used the records of 365 poultry 

 keepers who supplied all the figures called for in the record, the others 

 being incomplete in some one or more details. 



The contest yearwas started with 24,345 fowlsi and closed with 27.268, 

 there being a gain during the year cf 2,923. As these represent almost 

 entirely pullets hatched during the spring, they effect the income only part 

 of the time — that is, after they i cached maturity and began to lay, 

 which we have assumed at eight months of age. Therefore we have 

 added one-third of this increase to the original number and figured that 

 25,340 fowls were the number kept during the year. There was invested 

 in these fowls, in the poultry houses, yards, fixtures, etc., the sum of 

 $43,987.52, or an average investment of $1.81 per hen. Figuring that each 

 hen is worth about 50 cents, there would be requred an investment of 

 about $1.30 in the way of buildings, land, etc., to keep her. During the 

 year there was expended for food and supplies, which included grit, 

 green done, condition powers, medicines and the like, $23,712.34 or 94c per 

 hen. This is very close to the usual estimate of $1 per year as the 

 cost of keep of a hen. 



