592 



Day-Old Chickens. 



[JAN., 



The question of free range for the stock may, however, be 

 regarded as essential. 



For the attainment of success it is necessary to be able to 

 supply chickens of the breeds required by purchasers, and the 

 demand varies in different districts. Eggs from cross-bred 

 birds hatch out a larger percentage, and the chickens are 

 hardier and travel better than pure-breds, but the prices 

 obtained for crosses are never so high as those for pure-bred 

 chickens. The cost in each case will be the same, and for 

 these reasons the trade is chiefly in definite breeds. Where 

 operations are upon a small scale one breed only need be kept, 

 provided an adequate demand can be secured. But in large 

 establishments several must be maintained, and of the classes 

 most saleable. Chicks of the heavier breeds are said to stand 

 the travelling better than those of the lighter varieties. Prices 

 vary considerably in accordance with the time of year and the 

 class of fowls. Chickens, for instance, which are intended to 

 be used as breeding stock command higher rates than those 

 intended for killing or for farmyard purposes. The fashionable 

 varieties are always in demand to a greater extent, and sell at 

 higher rates than utility breeds. 



Experiments conducted upon the Reading College Poultry 

 Farm, Theale, during the spring of 1904, showed that, assuming 

 the cost per egg to be one penny, and allowing for 30 per cent, 

 of fertile eggs not hatching, but without charging anything for 

 interest upon capital or for labour, the actual expense of produc- 

 ing a chicken was vj2^&., or nearly ifd. Putting interest and 

 labour at the same figure, though this would be increased or 

 decreased according to the extent of the operations, the prime 

 cost may be reckoned at 3s. 6d. per dozen. To that must be 

 added the expense of a suitable box for packing the birds 

 and conveyance to the nearest station. Hence chickens can 

 scarcely be sold under 5s. per dozen. The profit will depend 

 upon the returns, which vary from 5s. to 21s. per dozen. 



The best age at which to despatch the chickens is when 

 they are twenty-four hours old, or even a little earlier, that is, as 

 soon as they have dried off and overcome the strain of hatching 

 If sent away too early they would feel the change and be 

 liable to take a chill, which would be fatal. The experience 



