back-yard poultry raising was omitted from the first edition of the 
“Million Egg Farm” because the question of just what could be made 
on poultry when only a vacant lot or back yard was available, had not 
been answered to the full satisfaction of the author. Many experiments 
were necessary to determine the cost of housing, feeding, and taking care 
of a back-yard flock. 
Perhaps the most interesting element in the situation was the extent 
to which table waste could be turned into eggs. To determine this fell 
largely to the lot of Mrs. Foster, who put into the investigation the natural 
enthusiasm of a woman for work of the sort. In a paper setting forth the 
result of her experiments she said: 
“With a flock of healthy chickens in the back yard, table waste ceases 
to be a bugaboo to the housewife. 
“The tops of her celery stalks, and the trimmings of her lettuce, cab¬ 
bages, beets, radishes, etc., provide ample green stuff for the flock, and 
the tailings of her steaks and roasts yield plenty of meat food. 
“Even the ashes from her range can be turned to account; for sifted 
ashes make the very best material for the dust baths hens delight in. 
“My experiments were conducted in a back yard with no natural 
advantages not common to back yards generally The results con¬ 
vinced me beyond argument that the table waste of a family of 6 would 
pay half the cost of fresh eggs every day in the year and a chicken dinner 
every other Sunday.” 
Probably the most familiar objection to back-yard poultry raising has 
been the neighborhood hue and cry against the reveille, or morning call 
of the wakeful and boastful chanticleer. 
I shall waive discussion of the advantages of early rising by explain¬ 
ing at once that the Rancocas plan for keeping chickens in the back yard 
is as free from males as a suffragette convention in secret session. 
The Rancocas back-yard unit consists of 24 pullets—every rooster 
found on the premises to be peremptorily condemned and promptly exe¬ 
cuted. The different plans for getting the 24 pullets, and for securing 
eggs from some of them every day in the year, will be explained in the fol¬ 
lowing pages. 
The cost of living is high and nothing in political or economic con¬ 
ditions indicates relief. You pay big prices for food and a big tribute to 
the garbage can. Whatever spare ground you have costs you a high 
rental and yields you little but envy of the landlord or tax collector. 
One man in New York City has made more than a million dollars 
dealing in garbage. Landlords and tax collectors are a veritable chosen 
people. 
Your problem is to lower the cost of living without lowering the stand¬ 
ard, to make the vacant lot or back yard you are paying for yield some¬ 
thing in return. 
The purpose of this discussion is to help you solve the problem—to 
give you a simple, workable, thoroughly tested plan for making chickens 
the solution. 
Tried and 
Proved 
In a Nutshell 
5 
