ana 
March 21, 
MAPES THE HEN-MAN GIVES FIGURES. 
Part I. 
Having put a good deal of good money 
and work into hens, and not having been 
able to get a balance on the right side 
thus far, I have been much interested in 
the reports of those who have succeeded 
in making poultry raising pay, notably 
Mr. Mapes. On page 162 I note “Hens 
vs. Cows.” I should have been glad to 
have a more definite statement as to the 
net profit; $5,000 gross from 1,800 birds 
seems very moderate, but expenses (in¬ 
cluding interest on investment and de¬ 
preciation) would on many plants eat 
most of that up, and leave very little for 
labor of the owner. I note that the stock 
has been increased by 800 birds, valued 
at $500; again a very moderate esti¬ 
mate. But I should like to know the 
ages of the birds, i. e., how many pullets, 
how many yearling hens, and how many 
two years old? The limit usually placed 
on profit for hens is two years—the pul¬ 
let year, and the so-called yearling year. 
If Mr. Mapes runs his plant on that 
system he would have to replace 000 
birds (or else allow a heavy deprecia¬ 
tion per capita on the value of his fowls) 
besides the 800 increase. That would 
mean that unless he is more successful 
than most poultrymen in raising birds 
he would have to hatch 5,000 chicks or 
more to get the required number of pul¬ 
lets good enough to keep for layers. 
Again, unless he does better than the 
average, that would mean incubating 
about 10,000 eggs. 
But granting that he had phenomenal 
success, incubated 5,000 eggs, hatched 
4,000 chicks, and brought 1,700 pullets 
to maturity. I would like to know how 
one man could do this and care for 1.800 
hens—even having this so systematized 
that it all could be done with the least 
possible effort. I should also like to 
know how much capital (including all 
labor in erecting houses, fencing, etc.) 
has been invested in land, houses and all 
the equipment i-equired for hatching and 
raising chickens. Then we can estimate 
more correctly what Mr. Mapes receives 
for his labor; and what is vastly more 
important to those of us in the business, 
we can see where we can improve our 
own methods, and have one balance on 
the right side of the sheet. C. G. 
Soutliboro, Mass. 
Having roused the curiosity of readers 
I suppose they are entitled to the rest of 
the story even if it does make “the cow 
look like 30 cents beside the hen.” The 
above correspondent is evidently travel¬ 
ing along the beaten path so thickly 
strewn with failures that never arrived 
at the terminus for which they started. 
A glance at the picture accompanying the 
article in question will show that I have 
left the beaten path at many points, and 
blazed a new trail. In no other way 
could I have accomplished what to many 
doubters seems as incredible as a trip by 
water from New York to San Francisco 
in the time that will be necessary after 
the completion of the Panama Canal as 
compared with those following the course 
around the Horn 20 years ago. 
Note first that not a dollar is invested 
in poultry runs or fences. These are 
always a source of annoyance and ex¬ 
pense. Note that the roofs are all of 
the steep type, and less liable to decay 
and loss than the ordinary flat-roofed 
poultry house. There is only one small 
window (rear view) to each flock of 250 
hens, to be kept glazed, making four to 
each 1,000 hens. Poultry-house windows, 
like fences, are always a source of ex¬ 
pense. There are only 150 feet of siding 
per unit, or 600 feet per 1,000 hens to 
be painted. The low inside walls are of 
concrete and practically permanent. 
Other departures from the beaten path 
are not shown in the picture. 
I do not dispose of my layers at the 
end of the second year’s work. A six- 
year-old cow will i-aise as many calves in 
a year as a three-year-old. Only fools 
or millionaires would sacxufice their 
milkers at the end of the second yeai’’s 
work. Aside from the time required to 
moult, a five-year-old hen should lay as 
many eggs as a pullet, and larger ones. 
Other requirements of the beaten path 
call for frequent visits to the henhouse 
to throw them a little of this or a little 
of that, in deep litter, in order to make 
them exercise. Some recent mechanical 
devices try to accomplish the same re¬ 
sult. The exercise fad is largely “bosh.” 
I throw what I think is a proper allow¬ 
ance of mixed grains for the day to them 
in the morning, not being very particular 
whether the litter is deep or not, then 
go about my business and let the hens do 
the same. The dry mash hopper is al¬ 
ways open to them. 
We have a local feed dealer who has a 
feed mixer and one of the best formulas 
I know for both dry mash and mixed 
grains, so I buy all my feeds ready mixed 
THE RURAL 
and delivered in my feed room. His 
heavy trucks can haul it four miles 
cheaper than I can do it with a light 
team. Much time is often consumed on 
many poultry plants mixing or hauling 
grains, mashes, etc. When my supply 
begins to get low all I have to do is 
to lift the telephone receiver and that 
sets in motion the machinery that replen¬ 
ishes it. 
In most of the “failures that strew the 
beaten path” an expensive house devoted 
exclusively to brooding is found in the 
foreground. Notice the entire absence of 
such buildings in the picture. 
Now for the “facts and figures.” I 
have 10 buildings, including the original 
“hen barn,” devoted exclusively to poul¬ 
try. These have cost me, including la¬ 
bor and watering system, about $2,600. 
Four incubators purchased second-hand 
more than 10 years ago cost me $90. 
They are still doing good work, and the 
only expense for repairs thus far has 
been for one new burner and a few pieces 
of felt. Two brooding outfits that cost 
$58 each completes the outlay for equip¬ 
ment. Add another $100 for say two 
acres of land (without buildings) and we 
■have $2,916. Make it $3,000 for good 
measure. o. w. mates. 
NEW-YORKKK 
„ A DarkY employed as an office-boy in 
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I up and hit at him. Well, suh, it 
seemed lak dat irritated him. He took 
and blackened both of niah eyes and bit 
both of mah years mighty nigh off, and 
split mah lip and knocked two of mah 
teef loose; and den he th’owed me down 
and stamped me in de stomach. Honest, 
boss, I never did get so sick of a nigger 
in mah life!”—New Orleans Picayune. 
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A CLEAN DAIRY BARN 
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’%jf r 
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- Do you go at the spring 
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— Of course you don’t— 
Coats are a burden—you even roll 
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j If your dealer hasn’t it, 
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143 La Sails Avs., Chicago, Illinois 
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