HIGH EGG PRICES

Evening Post, Volume CXXI, Issue 115, 16 May 1936, Page 27

HIGH EGG PRICES

DISPOSAL OF -POULTRY

MANURE

There is ample evidence that the present autumn has .been the worst Wellington poultrymen have experienced for some' years. The pullets have not given. nearly so regular egg production, and'the hens are more upset with their moult than usual; False autumn pullet moults have been far, more common,' and in some cases pullets, have moulted shortly after commencing:to lay, while the majority that were early' hatched have gone into a full moult. The price of eggs i provides evidence of the low. production, and in some towns the 3s mark has been reached, possibly for the first time for many years. With a decided jump in feed prices the situation is not a happy one for .some poultrykeepers, and keen management is demanded if any profit is to result. One farmer with over 600 fowls is collecting only about ten dozen eggs weeklyrealising, say, 255. His feed costs alone are in the vicinity of £6 weekly, so that the loss is a heavy one. In this particular case the trouble is due to sheer bad management, in that too many adult birds are being carried^ while no proper housing accommodation was provided for the pullets. Profitable egg productionl is no easy task, and novices are warned to expeei financial difficutlies if they branch out on a large scale without sufficient experience and capital. Money alone will not ensure success, though it may postpone the final crash. On the other hand comes a letter from the owner of ..ten Black .Orpington pullets purchased at the beginning of February for 10s each from a reliable . breeder of good utility stock. No record of the eggs laid during February was kept, but during March the ten pullets laid 193 eggs, and for April they produced 239 eggs, a total production for two months of 36 dozen | eggSj- which at retail prices were valued at- £3 10s. Total.feed costs from the ; date of purchase to the end of April were under 20s, since table scraps were available free. Naturally the owner of these pullets is full of enthusiasm and desires to branch out into a much larger flock. So often it .is experiences of this, kind which sow the-germ for larger flocks, but the point that-no novice will'realise is that mass production considerably ' lowers profits, eyen under expert management, TJnthoughtof overhead expenses crop up, disease problems are met, and the "individual management" problem is encountered, all of which" lead to complications which reduce possible profits. Where labour has to be employed the greatest losses are experienced, since no matter, how good an assistant may be Me cannot be expected to nave the same interest as the owner, and a good 'assistant-must be paid good wages, 'it is mot uncommon to find an assistant on a' large :farm earning almost 'asmuch as the owner, without having : ahy of: the real responsibility. The most profitable farms are those managed by a family, all of whom are I interested and experienced workers! '■