Profit from •* 
 
 A TOWN LOT 
 
 H. Cecil Shepp&rd 
 
Class _^fkL__ 
 
 Book. 
 
 CoipglitS - 
 
 CORRIGHT DEPOSIT. 
 
 k 
 
#4>223.oo Profit 
 
 in one year on 
 a town lot 
 
 H. Cecil Sheppard 
 
 iiiiiimiimmiimiiiimmmiimmiiiinmiiHiiiiiuiiiiiiiMiiii 
 
 THIRD EDITION 
 
 •ii iiiiMiiifiiiiiiiiiiiiiimiiiiiiiimiimmiiiiimiiiiiiiiiiiiii 
 
 Published by 
 
 H. CECIL SHEPPARD 
 
 Berea, Ohio 
 
 1919 
 
 Trff^rafrsar^iirrtiTTrtitT^i^ 
 
-<d55 
 
 Copyright 
 
 1919 
 
 By 
 
 H. Cecil Sheppard 
 
 C1A528647 
 
 JUL -3 1919 
 
PREFACE 
 
 I have set down for publication in this book, the dis- 
 astrous and profitable experiences covering the six 
 years from the time I first interested myself in 
 chickens, until in the sixth year I took a net profit of 
 $4,223.00 from my small poultry plant on a town lot. 
 That year my books showed sales of $9,515.00, with 
 expenses for advertising, feed bills, wages, and so on, 
 amounting to $5,292.00. The benefit of my experience 
 up to the time of revising the third edition, has also 
 been incorporated. 
 
 I would have gladly paid $100.00 during the first 
 years of my experience, could such information have 
 come to me. It has been no small task to write and 
 revise this book, but I feel that it will be worth while. 
 
 Fraternally yours, 
 
JUST as no two eggs are quite alike so no two people 
 can succeed in quite the same manner — but the 
 "other fellow's" experience costs less and saves time 
 (when we are wise enough to admit it!) so why not 
 save dollars by using it? In your selling, look for 
 ideas as fresh as "just laid" eggs. 
 
CONTENTS 
 
 CHAPTER I— A LITTLE PERSONAL HISTORY 13 
 
 Back to the country — The Town Lot — Giving up my road business — 90% 
 perspiration. 
 
 CHAPTER II— THREE "P'S" IN THE POULTRY POD— Pleasure, Pep, Profit.. 17 
 The pleasure in poultry — Getting birds with pep — Making a profit — The 
 backyard laboratory — Deciding on the best breed — Starting on a small scale 
 — Hens or horses? — Ending the second year — $1910.00 at end of fourth 
 year— Making the $4,223.00. 
 
 CHAPTER III— INCUBATORS AND BROODERS 23 
 
 Preliminary testing of incubator — Looking after the eggs — The brooder 
 and its care — Preparing it for baby chicks — Getting ready to receive day- 
 old chicks. 
 
 CHAPTER IV— BABY CHICKS— SOME DO'S AND DON'TS 29 
 
 How Mother Nature planned them — Don't over-feed — What to feed — 
 Brooders and colony houses — Making baby chicks work — Chick physiology 
 — How often to feed — Green food — Sprouted oats — Winter quarters — 
 Automatic feeders — Piano box colony house. 
 
 CHAPTER V— GETTING THE EGGS 38 
 
 Importance of male bird — When superb vitality counts — Diagrammatic com- 
 parison — Specifications of an ideal male — Feeding for egg production — 
 Housing for egg production — Some egg facts. 
 
 CHAPTER VI— POULTRY HOUSES 45 
 
 Building for egg production — For warmth — Specifications for economical 
 houses — Water tight, well ventilated, well lighted. 
 
 CHAPTER VII— MAKING SHIPMENTS 49 
 
 January inquiries — Boxing and shipping eggs — Shipping baby chicks — 
 Shipping stock. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII— FOUR SALES ESSENTIALS 53 
 
 Make them look — Make them like — Make them learn — Landing them — 
 How to, do it — A dozen and one sales pointers. 
 
 CHAPTER IX— ADVERTISING TO SUCCESS 57 
 
 Visiting the shows — Building good records — Jacob's follow up — Advertis- 
 ing pays — An unpleasant experience — The first orders — Increasing my 
 advertising — Getting business by letter — What about stationery? — A mat- 
 ing list or catalog — Service principle in advertising — Appeal to the 
 beginner. 
 
 CHAPTER X— WHAT TO DO EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR 65 
 
 CHAPTER XI OPPORTUNITY IN POULTRY 70 
 
 The chicken industry — The auspicious time — Possibilities in poultry — 
 Pepful poultry for pale people — Saving on the cost of living — Begin 
 now. 
 
CHAPTER I 
 
 A Little Personal History 
 
 SUPPOSE it would be a good plan to commence at 
 the beginning ! So I am going to tell you my 
 actual experience in the poultry business, step by 
 step, from the first year when my total sales were 
 $160.00 to the gross income of $9,515.00 the sixth 
 year — all on a town lot. 
 
 Back to the Country 
 
 Cleveland was my home for a number of years. While there my 
 health was not the very best. It looked to me pretty much as though 
 it were a choice between getting farther away from the nerve-racking 
 push and bustle of the city, and spending more time in the great out of 
 doors, or of prematurely joining the ranks of the countless slumbering 
 army. Naturally, I resolved to go "back to the country" and soon selected 
 a location. 
 
 Mrs. Sheppard and myself looked over a number of places on the 
 southern shore of Lake Erie. We decided to settle in Berea where 
 conditions were ideal, good schools and colleges to educate the children, 
 and all modern conveniences. It is located on three trunk lines of railroads 
 and a corking good electric line, so that shipping facilities are excellent. 
 
 The Town Lot 
 
 Well, I leased property for a couple of years, but at the end of 
 six months we were so deeply in love with the location that the property 
 became a Sheppard possession. We moved to Berea the latter part of 
 March, 1906. It was a revelation to me. There we were, living on a 
 nice town lot, the air pure and sweet, and as Spring pressed on and as 
 Nature budded forth in all her beauty, the grass grew green and the 
 air became redolent with perfume from a wilderness of fragrant blos- 
 soms. The songbirds returned and added greatly to the surroundings 
 with their cheerful and sweet songs. As the weather became warm, we 
 (my wife and children) commenced fixing up our lawn and preparing the 
 soil for a garden. After the ground was nicely cultivated, we com- 
 menced to set out trees, berry bushes, grapevines, sow the garden seed, 
 and set out the plants. By the first of June everything seemed to fairly 
 
14 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 jump out of the ground to meet the warm rays of the Summer sun. 
 Midsummer found us enjoying luxuries of our bountiful harvest of fresh 
 vegetables from our own garden. It was quite a contrast to what a city 
 man had been accustomed. It was not only a crop of good vegetables, 
 but a crop of gladness and joy as well. Our city friends envied our 
 good fortune. My wife could prepare an excellent meal from the 
 garden, with a few nice springers added to the bill of fare. A little 
 later our flowers blossomed forth in all the colors of the rainbow. The 
 next season we enjoyed a generous crop of red raspberries and straw- 
 berries. Two years later our plum trees began to bear. The next year 
 the peach trees bloomed out in their superb style and joined the plum 
 trees in giving us a nice lot of delicious fruit. The next year the 
 cherry trees began to bear. 
 
 Giving Up My Road Business 
 
 The five years' experience directly preceding the year in which I 
 made a net income of $4,223.00 from chickens on a town lot, caused me 
 to sever my connections with the concern for whom I was traveling, 
 and go into the chicken business in earnest and not as a "side line," 
 which it had been up to that time. It took me a great many months to 
 make up my mind regarding this change, because I have many warm 
 friends among the people I visit and it almost seemed as though — so 
 firm had become our friendship — that everywhere I set my foot was 
 "home, sweet home." And of course after so long a term — travelling 
 the same territory for twenty years for the one house — I had a mighty 
 good business and enjoyed a fairly satisfactory salary, as salaries were 
 in those days, and I had the friendship and confidence of several of 
 the largest merchants in my line. 
 
 When I resigned my position on the road, I was not only "passing 
 up" the rewards of twenty years' hard work but was also losing the 
 social visits to all my old acquaintances on the road, and what was 
 worse still, was the severing of my pleasant business relations with my 
 company. In the long years I was with them there wasn't anything that 
 ever came up to disturb our pleasant relations. They were very good 
 to me and I appreciated, it. In fact, all the employees were treated with 
 consideration, and it seemed like one big, happy family. It surely did 
 seem like leaving home to sever my ties with this firm. My chickens 
 were demanding more of my time, and I was really forced to give up 
 my road position or my chickens. I chose the former and sent my 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 
 
 15 
 
 Members of American Poultry Association visiting Sheppard's Farm. Artist 
 Sewell of R. J. P. fame took the party unawares with his camera while they were 
 having refreshments under the shade of the big oak. 
 
 resignation to my house, to take effect four months later. When I laid 
 aside my grip I wasn't sure that I could resist the temptation of mak- 
 ing a trip. At first it seemed very unnatural, but as time pressed on, 
 I became so taken up with my chickens that I gradually became weaned 
 from my former work. Of course, I missed my old friends on the 
 road who were so generous to me. If perchance any of them read 
 this book, I want to say that I haven't forgotten them and shall always 
 have pleasant memories -of them. Across the broad -miles I extend the 
 glad hand for a hearty shake. 
 
 On the cover of this book I use a figure which, to some of you, 
 may seem impossibly large — $4,223.00 is a sum of money not to be 
 sneezed at. Fourteen years ago this would have seemed like a tremen- 
 dous sum to me. But in 1912 it became a reality. What I did, thou- 
 sands of others have since done — many of them much better than this. 
 What I did, you can do. These figures are not too big for you to reach. 
 There is no logical reason why — if you make up your mind you will 
 reach them — you can't do so. You are a man or woman of ordinary 
 intelligence, else you wouldn't be reading this book, and I here firmly 
 state that any one person with average intellect, can succeed in the 
 chicken business if the ideas set down in the following chapters of this 
 book are followed. 
 
16 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 90 Per Cent Perspiration 
 
 I certainly am not a wizard. I believe that genius is 90% perspira- 
 tion and 10% inspiration. There is nothing magical about my suc- 
 cess or method. I started with a very limited knowledge of the poultry 
 business and a still more limited capital. Common sense was probably 
 my greatest stock in trade. 
 
 I am going to tell you as simply and plainly as the nose on a 
 man's face, how I have managed my chickens and of course you can 
 do what appears practical to you. I don't expect you to agree with me 
 on every detail, but on the principal questions, my 'methods are 
 thoroughly practical. There is no theory in this book. It is all the 
 result of practical experience. I am not attempting to give advice — but 
 simply stating what I have done and how I have done it. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 17 
 
 CHAPTER II 
 
 THREE "P'S" IN THE POULTRY POD 
 Pleasure, Pep, Profit 
 The Pleasure in Poultry 
 
 HERE is nothing new about this thought, but unless 
 people have a natural liking for poultry so that they 
 can get real pleasure out of the work — because there 
 is a lot of hard work about it ! — they had better not 
 start the business even on a small scale. There in- 
 variably is, of course, a certain pleasure following 
 the accomplishment of profitable work — but this kind 
 of pleasure follows after the profit and does not go 
 right along with the work required to earn the profit. 
 Although I now sometimes have as many as five thousand birds at one time 
 on my farm, I never grow tired of these beautiful, active creatures — they 
 have a fascination for me. They should for you, — and I believe they 
 will — if you are to secure a genuine pleasure, taking your loss along with 
 the profit, getting your bumps — not such stiff jolts as I received, I trust 
 — and then profiting by the experience which I set down in this book, 
 as well as your own experience. 
 
 The Backyard Laboratory 
 
 The very best laboratory is one's own poultry yard. You can take 
 the same methods I have used and am using and put them into practical 
 experience in your own "laboratory" every day in the year, and by avoiding 
 many of the pitfalls and eliminating many of the stumbling blocks, 
 your pleasure with poultry will be just that much more increased. 
 
 Making a Profit— Getting Birds With Pep 
 
 In order to make profit from poultry it is very necessary that you 
 secure birds with abundant vitality — plenty of pep ! A writer on poultry 
 once said that the surest way to secure vitality, vigor and constitution 
 is by the "survival of the fittest" — in other words a process of elimina- 
 tion by means of the ax ! Well, to a certain extent I found that true. As 
 I went more into the commercial end of the poultry business, I saw 
 the imperative necessity of having two attributes in my birds. First, 
 
18 
 
 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 They 
 
 should 
 
 be 
 
 eager 
 
 to 
 
 lay. 
 
 vitality — or pep — whatever you want to call it. Second, the habit of 
 systematic laying. 
 
 Deciding on the Best Breed 
 
 You can secure these two admirable qualities either by a very care- 
 ful selection of the right breed, or by a process of elimination on your 
 own plant. Although it costs more to begin with, to purchase the right 
 breed, I am convinced that considerable time is saved. You secure a 
 flying start at once. 
 
 You may decide to start with several breeds, as I did. I kept four 
 the first year, and at the end of the first year I found I had three 
 breeds too many, and decided to keep just one. It did not take me long 
 to decide on the breed to keep. The first year I found it very profitable 
 to be getting a good yield of eggs during the cold winter months, when 
 eggs were high and when my neighbors were not getting any. In 
 cutting down the number of breeds I kept the breed that produced egg^ 
 abundantly during the winter months. This is one of the secrets of the 
 business— to get a breed that will produce eggs practically all the year 
 round, and especially when the price of eggs is high. You will find 
 there is a tremendous demand for chickens of this kind, and if you have 
 them your neighbor wants them and is willing to pay you a good price 
 for a setting of eggs or for a pen of birds. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 19 
 
 Starting on a Small Scale 
 
 I have told you the importance of selecting the proper breed. Now 
 you ask whether one ought to start on a small or on a large scale. The 
 commercial agencies will tell you that 90 per cent of the business houses 
 fail some time during their lifetime. Probably the principal reason for 
 this is because they start on too large a scale. It is like a boy learning 
 to swim. If he jumps in deep water he drowns, but if he stays in shallow 
 water until he learns, he then can go into deep water with safety. 
 
 On the other hand, I started my chickens on a small scale, and from 
 the very beginning they were paying for their keep and a little more. 
 I found it better to have the chickens working for me than for me 
 to be working for them. I would suggest that you start in a small way 
 and buy good stock to start with. You will find that it pays. There is 
 always a demand for good stock, while the demand for poor stock is 
 limited. It is a common error to invest in expensive chicken houses and 
 buy cheap stock. Whatever breed you buy, go to some reputable 
 breeder and secure good stock. Remember that it is quality of stock that 
 pays the large dividends, and not the expensive poultry houses. You can 
 raise good birds from good stock in a cheap building, but you cannot 
 raise good birds from poor stock, no matter how good your buildings. 
 If you have twenty-five, fifty or one hundred dollars to invest, buy a 
 pen of five birds in place of a dozen. 
 
 I made the usual mistake beginners make by buying ordinary stock 
 to start with. I went to a certain breeder and bought from his utility 
 flock, and from other breeders the same quality. At the end of the 
 first year I found I had made a serious mistake, as I had lost a year's 
 time and had nothing but utility birds — something that intelligent chicken 
 people don't want. It taught me a lesson, however, and I resolved to 
 get the very best birds money could buy. At the end of the first year I 
 had discarded my other breeds and had secured the best stock that money 
 could buy of my favorite breed. At the end of the second year I had 
 a flock of strictly high-grade birds, and found I was on the right road 
 to success. 
 
 While this book is written mainly for the information and inspiration 
 of the family with but limited space for their poultry plant, it has a 
 direct application to the flock kept by the farmer's wife, and the far- 
 mer's children as well. 
 
20 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 Hens or Horses? 
 
 Mrs. George L. Russell, of Chilhowee, Missouri, said something of 
 intense interest in the "Fruit-Grower" a couple years ago. She compared 
 hens with horses and started out by asking a few questions. 
 
 "What if the whole flock should be stolen? What if a storm comes 
 and kills every hen on the place? What if they all get sick and die? 
 You will admit none of these things are likely to take off the whole 
 flock. But granted they do, why, then, we have not lost any more capital 
 invested than we have when one mare lies down and dies. And should 
 these calamities befall a flock of chickens, with a comparatively few dol- 
 lars one can start over and in one spring raise enough pullets to fill the 
 laying house. 
 
 "It is much easier to raise a few dollars to buy a flock of hens to 
 start over than it is to raise enough money to buy one good brood mare. 
 
 "If we were in the commercial egg farming business, this would be 
 a story of larger profits, but as we are only farmers, the chickens are 
 considered just one of the many farm crops, the same as hogs, cattle, 
 oats, wheat and corn. 
 
 "As is the case on the majority of the farms, the farm woman cares 
 for the chickens. It is a real pleasure to me to do this. In fact, I 
 cannot find the time to spend with them that I would like to, as there 
 are many other duties, besides being a mother, to attend to on the farm. 
 
 "The work with my chickens commenced with a worn-out hen house, 
 surrounded by a dense plum thicket, where there was small chance of the 
 sunlight ever appearing. You have all seen such houses with a row of 
 nests and a path in front, the roosts occupying almost the whole interior, 
 leaving no place for the hens to scratch and exercise. 
 
 "Even with this poor equipment, the hens paid $112.00 the first year. 
 This astonishing fact was hardly believed by my husband, but the figures 
 were there to prove it, and he at once became interested in the chickens, 
 building them a new house that fall." 
 
 My chickens gave me pleasure as well as increased my bank account. 
 I mated up my first pens about February 1. My chickens had been lay- 
 ing all fall and winter, so the eggs were in splendid condition to in- 
 cubate early. I set my incubator about February 15 and had my first 
 chicks hatched from eggs from my own breeding pens, early in March. 
 I commenced shipping hatching eggs the latter part of February. At the 
 end of my first fiscal year, which ended August 1, 1907, I found I had 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 21 
 
 sold hatching eggs to the amount of $71.00. I sold a few cockerels to 
 the meat market and two for breeders. Adding these amounts to what 
 I got for eggs which I sold to the market, I found that my first year's 
 revenue was about $160.00, besides having a fine lot of little chicks and 
 a breeding pen from the previous season. I had thirty-one hens and 
 was surprised to learn they had earned a little over $5.00 each. 
 
 Ending the Second Year 
 
 At the end of the second year, I had more breeding pens than ever, 
 and many more chicks. I found that my sales had reached a grand total 
 of $542.96. I naturally began to think the chicken business was all right. 
 Before leaving Cleveland I had heard of several men who had failed. I 
 could see that their failure was due to mismanagement or by wanting 
 to get rich too quickly and starting in too heavily. I could see that it 
 was no fault of the chickens. They were proving that if they were given 
 a chance they would pay handsome dividends on the investment and for 
 the time spent with them. 
 
 I started my third year with more encouragement, and, as I found 
 the poultry journals were doing me a splendid service, I again increased 
 my advertising. I had raised a larger flock and had no trouble in dis- 
 posing of it again. I mated more breeding pens and still found that my 
 supply of hatching eggs was not equal to the increasing demand. At 
 the end of the third year my sales figured $890.51 for the year. In ad- 
 dition to this I had on hand a still larger flock of chicks and breeding 
 pens. 
 
 $1,910.10 at End of Fourth Year 
 
 At the beginning of the fourth year I could see a grand future dawn- 
 ing for this remarkable breed, so again resolved to increase my capacity. 
 At the end of the fourth year I found my sales for the year to be 
 $1,910.10. The demand had steadily increased the fourth year, so I made 
 still greater preparations for increased business for the fifth year. I wasn't 
 disappointed in my expectations, as you will readily see when I tell you 
 that the sales for my fifth year amounted to $4,094.00. 
 
 My business kept right on growing and at the end of the sixth year, 
 I found that I had more than doubled the fifth year — my book showed that 
 the sales amounted to $9,515.00. 
 
22 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 Making the $4,223.00 
 
 I kept about ninety females for my breeding pens, and about ten 
 males, selling off my culls for table use. I farmed out a lot of utility 
 stock to farmers. By doing this I was enabled to supply a heavy demand 
 for utility eggs that came from birds that had plenty of range and eggs 
 strong in fertility that produced vigorous stock. I sold many eggs from 
 $2.50 to $30.00 per setting, and raised about five hundred youngsters. I 
 followed the ideas described in this book. At the end of the year I 
 found I had sold $9,515.00 worth of stock and eggs. My expenses, in- 
 cluding advertising, feed bills, boy's wages, etc., amounted to $5,292.00, 
 leaving a balance of $4,223.00. 
 
 These figures do not include the eggs and springers used on my table. 
 The eggs and stock sold to the market would run about five hundred dol- 
 lars. The balance of $9,015.00 was from sales of hatching eggs, baby 
 chicks and standard bred stock. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 
 
 CHAPTER III 
 
 23 
 
 Incubators and Brooders 
 
 OME one once asked me this question : "Is a hen's 
 birthday when the egg is laid or when it is hatched?" 
 I cannot answer! Nor have I been able to find a 
 solution to the following questions : 
 
 Whether first the egg, or the hen? 
 Tell me, I pray, ye learned men. 
 The hen was first, or whence the egg ? 
 Give us no more of your doubts, I beg. 
 The egg was first, or whence the hen? 
 Tell me how it came or when. 
 
 But I do know that "In the beginning is the egg." 
 So, with your permission, I will here discuss my experience with in- 
 cubators and brooders. 
 
 As soon as we got nicely settled in our Berea home, we decided that 
 the next thing was some chickens. So, off went my order for an incubator. 
 Just a short time before this, I had visited a small poultry farm and was 
 delighted by the beauty of the birds, and pleased with their utility as 
 shown by the fact that they were working their heads off laying eggs in 
 January. Some of them were busy in their nests. Others were trying to 
 crowd them off. Others were cackling after laying. There seemed to be 
 a general atmosphere of hustle and bustle in the hen houses. It certainly 
 seemed unusual to observe so much industry in hen houses during mid- 
 winter — and this condition made a great impression on me. 
 
 I placed my order for eggs from these fowls, because the first thing 
 I was after was a breed that would produce winter as well as summer 
 eggs — not occasionally but frequently and systematically. The eggs ar- 
 rived in the spring, a few days later than the incubator. 
 
 Preliminary Testing of Incubator 
 
 The incubator was placed in the basement, and after regulating the 
 machine so that the thermometer registered 102^ degrees, I tested out 
 the machine for two or three days to be sure that I had it well regulated 
 before the eggs were put in. I didn't want to take the chance of a 
 short hatch. A great deal had been said to me about the expense ot 
 
24 
 
 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 Type of brooder used when I commenced. These brooders prove very satisfac- 
 tory. Have been replaced by a Modem Brooder System, which is illustrated a few 
 pages on. 
 
 ''experimentation." and I wanted to avoid this so far as possible. The sug- 
 gestions and instructions made by the manufacturer of the incubator were 
 followed as carefully as possible, coupled with a few common sense ideas 
 I had myself. And then I was all ready to put in the eggs ! 
 
 The lamp was filled with the best oil procurable — not too — full, in 
 order to allow for the expansion of the oil, and then I "lit up" the in- 
 cubator. First with a moderate flame until after the heater was warmed 
 through, because a new wick will cause the flame to creep up, and if the 
 wick is turned too high at first, the lamp is likely to smoke and accumulate 
 soot on the burner. It will then burn with a large flame until the burner 
 is overheated and a . puff of gas blows it out. In case the burner 
 becomes overheated so much as to blacken the metal, it should be scoured 
 bright or replaced with a new one — and the heater drum should be 
 cleaned out thoroughly. The chimney of heater wants to fit closely to the 
 burner. 
 
 Looking After the Eggs 
 
 Before placing them in the machine, I allowed the eggs to settle for 
 twenty-four hours and then put these precious eggs in with eggs from 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 25 
 
 other different varieties. I had decided to try out several different breeds 
 before deciding upon any one. None of the eggs were left standing on 
 end — all were lying flat in the incubator. Since that time I was away 
 on the road a considerable part of the time, I drafted the services of my 
 faithful servant to run the incubator during my absence. 
 
 Like all beginners, we were very much interested in the development 
 from day to day, and I received frequent "bulletins," reaching me at 
 various stops on nry route. 
 
 Well, at the end of the third day of this first hatch, the eggs received 
 their first turning and the next morning were turned again and cooled for 
 about ten minutes. The tendency was for the temperature to rise the 
 third week, when the chick had commenced to throw off animal heat. By 
 slight adjustment of the regulator, we had no trouble in keeping the de- 
 sired temperature. It is very important to maintain as nearly uniform 
 temperature as possible. Every day the lamp was filled and the wick 
 trimmed. Eggs must never be piled on top of one another, but always laid 
 flat in the incubator. 
 
 Much better results will be secured by operating the machine in the 
 basement, because it is easier to maintain the necessary uniform temper- 
 ature. If the basement or cellar is too dry, then place a pan of water 
 under your machine to furnish sufficient moisture. 
 
 I have said something about cooling eggs. This is done by allowing 
 the eggs to remain out of the machine until they are cooled. If the 
 weather is severe and the room is cool, it will not take them long to 
 reach the desired coolness. A good way to tell when they are sufficiently 
 cooled off, is to place the eggs to the lid of your eye, and if they feel 
 neither warm nor cold, they are at the proper temperature to return to 
 the machine. This "eye lid" test is a good one! 
 
 This scheme was followed until the nineteenth day when the eggs 
 began to pip. When we saw the first egg pip we closed the door and did 
 not open it again until we saw the hatch was well over. The first week 
 we ran the machine at a temperature of 102^ degrees, and the second 
 week 103 degrees. At the end of the third week the temperature went up 
 to 104 degrees or a little more, but under no condition did we allow it to 
 go above 105 degrees. 
 
 What causes the hatch to go over the twenty-first day? The machine 
 has been run a little too cold or the eggs have been cooled a little too 
 long. If the hatch comes off before the twenty-first day, it is because the 
 lamp has been run with the blaze a little too high. At the end of the 
 
26 
 
 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 Interior of a section of one of my brooder houses. This one building has a 
 capacity of iofioo chicks a season. 
 
 nineteenth day the eggs began to pip, so we realized that we had run the 
 machine just about right. At the end of the twentieth day the chicks 
 had begun to appear. At the end of the twenty-first day the hatch was 
 completed and all of us were proud as peacocks and happy as newlyweds 
 with the results. We had hatched eighty-nine lively little babies, and you 
 may be sure it was difficult to conjure up a more fascinating picture! 
 
 By this time my brooder had arrived and it was made ready to receive 
 the little folk. I planned to be home on Saturday and Sunday, and found 
 a great deal of satisfaction in guiding the destinies of these little folk, 
 keeping their brooder sweet and clean, and in raising them in the "nurture 
 and admonition" of the plans that seemed most practical to me. We raised 
 all but two of them. One died a natural death and the other was killed by 
 accident. 
 
 After the first hatch was taken off, I reset the machine and hatched 
 ninety chicks. It was then early in July. The weather had then become 
 very warm, and they died off rapidly because I hadn't provided sufficient 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 27 
 
 shade to protect them from the hot July sun. I have since proved that 
 midsummer chicks can be easily raised by furnishing them plenty of shade, 
 fresh water, and keeping them in small flocks. We know this can be done 
 even in the hot Southland because we have had experience in raising lots 
 of mid-summer chicks on my Southern Branch Farm. Little chicks are 
 very delicate birds. Too much chill or too much heat soon finishes them, 
 but after they get real muscle in their little bodies and begin to harden 
 up, they are much more thrifty and not so likely to be pounced upon by 
 disease. 
 
 The Brooder and Its Care 
 
 We commenced to prepare the brooder for the chickens as soon as 
 the eggs began to pip. Most all of the standard make brooders come in 
 "knock-down" — form or in sections, with directions for putting them to- 
 gether. It only took an hour or two to assemble our brooder and get it 
 ready for business. We were then ready to light the lamp and heat up 
 the brooder, ready to receive its rioting, fluffy mob of lively infants. 
 
 Let me again emphasize the importance of using good oil in the 
 brooder as well as the incubator. We trimmed the wick daily, as recom- 
 mended by the manufacturer of the brooder, and started with a small 
 flame. As the brooder got warm, the wick was turned up a little higher. 
 By following this plan when the brooder is first started, there will be 
 no chance to have any of the trouble I mentioned in connection with the 
 incubator. Being human, I had a little trouble. This made me more care- 
 ful because the job of cleaning the soot from the drum and pipe is not 
 an agreeable one and it can be avoided with a little care. The drum and 
 pipe must be kept clean. 
 
 Preparing It for Baby Chicks 
 
 While being heated, the brooder was placed level on level ground, 
 and then banked up around the edge with earth to keep the wind from 
 blowing under the bottom. I placed it facing the east so that the chicks 
 could get the warm rays of the early morning sun. I next hung on the 
 wall of the brooder, a hopper containing fine grit, charcoal and beef 
 scrap. Then put about one-half inch of coarse lake sand on the brooder 
 floor. The next day I had the temperature registering 95 degrees, which 
 is about the right temperature for the brooder to receive the chicks. I ran 
 it for a couple days before the chicks were ready to occupy it, so I would 
 be sure we had the "hang" of the proposition all right and would be able 
 
28 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 to keep up a uniform temperature, which, of course, must be regulated to 
 a certain extent, with the warmth and brightness of the sun. When the 
 sun is shining brightly, the wick can be turned down. Be sure to run a 
 new brooder for a few days before putting chicks into it, in order to get 
 it well regulated. This will save you the disappointment and expense of 
 losing many baby chicks. 
 
 The first hatch came off largely on the twenty-first day, and as the 
 weather was cold, I left them in the incubator another day to get thorough- 
 ly dried out. Later in the season, when the weather was warmer, they 
 were removed to the brooder as soon as the hatch was well over, as the 
 confinement seemed too close for little chicks when the weather was hot. 
 They need fresh, dry and warm air — not too much moisture, no chill, no 
 excessively hot weather. 
 
 Getting Ready to Receive Day-old Chicks 
 
 Millions of da3 r -old chicks are now purchased from poultry specialists 
 who reside at a distance from the purchasers. I would like to suggest 
 certain preparations that ought to be made for the reception of these day- 
 old chicks. On arrival the box in which they have been packed should 
 be carefully opened in a room before a fire, if the weather is at all cold. 
 It is absolutely necessary that the birds be kept warm and dry. If these 
 babies are to be raised under a broody hen, the chickens should be kept 
 warmly indoors until evening and then, after she has settled down, quietly 
 introduce them to their new "mother." We suggest that a second broody 
 hen should be kept in reserve in case the first one objects to raising an alien 
 brood. I am taking it for granted that the hens have been carefully dusted 
 with insect powder and are free from insects. 
 
 If it is decided to bring up the chicks in an artificial brooder, this 
 can be cleaned and warmed to receive the baby chicks, just as I have dis- 
 cussed the matter in preceding paragraphs. About 90 degrees is a suitable 
 heat for the sleeping chamber. See that there is plenty of good oil in the 
 lamp and that the wick is burning clean and bright. Test the brooder 
 thoroughly before the arrival of the baby chicks. There is absolutely no 
 difficulty about working a brooder. It is very simple but the maker's in- 
 structions should be followed. On a warm spring day, when the sun is 
 brightly shining, very little artificial heat will be required, but of course 
 you have got to make sure that all is cozy and comfortable for the night, 
 which may be chilly and damp. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 
 
 29 
 
 CHAPTER IV 
 
 BABY CHICKS— SOME DO'S AND DONTS 
 How Mother Nature Planned Them 
 
 OTHER NATURE has made very wonderful provi- 
 sion for the nurture of newly hatched baby chicks. 
 They require no food for the first two days except 
 the water with the chill taken off, when they are put 
 into the brooder. Mother Nature has taken care of 
 their wants by permitting the absorption of the yolk 
 of the egg in their bodies. This is just why it is not 
 only possible but easy to send day-old chicks by rail, 
 or road, or steam, for long distances. I have shipped 
 day-old chicks safely, more than two thousand miles but, usually, a forty- 
 eight hour journey is ample for the young explorers. In order to break 
 these long distance shipments of baby chicks and give the greatest satis- 
 faction, I have established a branch farm in the far South, and at this 
 writing am negotiating for one in the extreme West. 
 
 Don't Over-feed . 
 
 I was amused to have a young man write to me that he had a good 
 hatch but had lost a little chick. On examination he had found that it 
 had swallowed the yolk of an egg, which had killed it. If the chicks are 
 fed too soon, the yolk of an egg does not become absorbed in time, and 
 
30 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 the natural result is just what it would be if a small child stuffed and 
 gormandized with more food than he could take care of in his digestive 
 tract — they droop and die. 
 
 V/hat to Feed 
 
 It is perfectly natural to feel that the baby chicks ought to be fed. 
 But don't be in a hurry about it. It is better to let them go without food 
 a few hours too long than to feed them too soon. After the chicks had 
 picked at the sand for a few hours, I placed clover chaff or chopped 
 clover hay under the hover for bedding. I use this because if they eat 
 any of it, it will not injure them. If you use sawdust or something similar, 
 the chicks are apt to eat more or less of it before they distinguish be- 
 tween that and what they should eat, and they are liable to become 
 "stuffed" with the wrong sort of material. 
 
 The gizzard of the chicken is its feed mill and ordinary coarse sub- 
 stances are required to grind the food, hence it encourages early vitality 
 to furnish them with clean, coarse sand at once. 
 
 If the weather permits, I allow the chicks on the ground for an hour 
 or two for the first time about the fifth day, or when they are six days 
 old. If the weather is mild, they can remain out longer. In cold weather 
 care should be taken to see that they can find their way back into the 
 brooder, and not allow them to stand on the cold ground and get chilled 
 through, which is likely to prove fatal or stunt their growth later. After 
 they learn the way into the warm hover of the brooder they will run in 
 whenever they get cold. If the weather is cold they should be tempered 
 to the cold ground by degrees by allowing them to stay out longer each 
 succeeding day for three or four days. 
 
 Brooders and Colony Houses 
 
 It is a good plan to keep the chicks in the brooder in the morning 
 until the grass becomes dry. They should be given green food of some 
 kind from the start. In case that green clover cannot be secured for 
 them from the lawn, some sprouted oats will make a good substitute. 
 On a subsequent page you* will find directions for sprouting the oats. As 
 the chickens grow older the flame can be turned down and the heat reduced 
 by degrees. The second week 90 degrees is about right for them, the 
 third week 85 to 90 degrees, and the fourth week 80 to 85 degrees. If 
 the weather is warm they will commence to desert the hover when they 
 are five or six weeks old and remain in the exercising room of the 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 31 
 
 brooder. During the early spring months give them 80 degrees until they 
 are six or eight weeks old, and after they are ten or twelve weeks old the 
 weather has moderated sufficiently to take them from the brooder and 
 place them in a piano-box colony house that is described on page 36 
 I keep them in these houses until they are taken to their quarters. The 
 cockerels are separated from the pullets when they are taken from the 
 brooder. I have the parks containing these brooders plowed and culti- 
 vated every spring and sowed with rape seed. This produces a splendid 
 green feed up until the snow flies, and it also makes a splendid shade. 
 It furnishes them with lots of bugs and worms, which are generally found 
 on such plants. At one end of the park 'I planted two or three dozen 
 hills of sunflowers, which make excellent shade and give a crop of seeds. 
 It is in here that they have their best times and flourish. When the 
 cockerels are two or three pounds in weight I sell off the culls to the 
 market and the balance are kept in these colony houses until the late fall, 
 when they are taken to their winter quarters. After the pullets are four 
 months old they are put in their winter quarters, in order that they will 
 not be disturbed when they are getting ready to lay. 
 
 Making Baby Chicks Work 
 
 Take as one of your mottoes in feeding chickens that, "If they will 
 not work, neither shall they eat." Teach them to work by feeding them 
 in litter, so that they will have to scratch and dig around for what they 
 eat, and keep this up as long as they live. On the third day I feed them 
 hard-boiled eggs (boiled twenty minutes) mixed with bread crumbs thor- 
 oughly dried, or corn bread will make a good substitute. The coarsest 
 ground oat meal obtainable is a very safe food for the first meal. It 
 has been called a perfect chick food. 
 
 At the beginning it is a good plan to mix chick feed in lake or any 
 other coarse sand. This will teach them industry and as they develop the 
 muscles in their legs and bodies, naturally makes them stronger chicks. 
 
 Chick Physiology 
 
 Strange as it may seem, the little fellows thrive on sand and tiny 
 bits of flint. The chicken has no teeth and never will have, and needs 
 something hard, brittle and rough with which to grind its food to pulp 
 when it reaches the gizzard — the "feed mill" of the chicken. The crop 
 is simply a large pouch low down in the neck, into which the food is 
 shovelled, awaiting the process of digestion. Shown herewith is a rough 
 diagram of various parts of a chicken's anatomy. This will show pretty 
 well how food travels on its way down the digestive tract. 
 
32 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 y~\o 
 
 (1) The mouth; (2) the throat, through which the food passes to 
 (3) the crop, which is a storage tank where the food rests until the 
 gizzard (5) is ready for it. Between the crop and gizzard, where the 
 food is ground, there is an enlargement (4) called the stomach. At (6) 
 is shown the small intestine, to which is fastened the unassimilated 
 yolk (7). Through the little opening at (8) this yolk keeps passing into 
 the intestine, where it is absorbed into the chick's system. Thus you 
 will see that when food is given before the yolk is entirely assimilated 
 you have food coming from two directions, each kind battling against 
 the other. At (9), the caecum, or lower intestine, you will note two 
 tube-like extensions. These are the places where worms may lodge, and 
 are the seat of many bowel troubles with the older fowls. Over-feeding 
 crams the caecum full, and this condition is generally indicated by a 
 pasted-up vent (10). 
 
 I venture to say that fully 80 percent of the mortality in raising baby 
 chicks is caused by improper feeding, and one of the most serious sources 
 of danger is in the moistening of food. Dry food and then good, clean 
 water, which lets the chick do the moistening for itself in the proper 
 proportions, is the safest way. Nature has taught them what they require. 
 We don't know. Of course baby chicks can be raised successfully with 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 33 
 
 wet mashes — but it certainly takes more care and to my way of thinking 
 is not Nature's plan. Don't pamper and overly milk feed young chicks. 
 Prepared foods containing powdered buttermilk are very beneficial. 
 
 How Often to Feed 
 
 For the first day or two, chicks should be fed every two or three 
 hours. For the next week, four times daily is sufficient and then three 
 times daily. Be very careful about not overfeeding. One of my greatest 
 difficulties when I found it necessary to be absent on the road, was to 
 find any one to feed the chicks without overfeeding. As I stated before, 
 it is better to underfeed them than to overfeed, but there is not much 
 danger of overfeeding when chick feed is mixed in the sand where they 
 have to scratch and work for it. Watch and see that they have what 
 they can eat up clean — and no more. 
 
 Cut of brooder made from a piano box. 
 
 After they are a week old a hopper should be placed before them 
 containing beef scrap, bran, fine charcoal and grit, a hopper for each. 
 After the chick is two or three months old, a few handfuls of wheat 
 can be added to the chick feed, and the wheat can be increased by adding 
 
34 $4223.00 PROFIT IN OXE YEAR 
 
 more even- week until they become accustomed to the whole grains. If 
 cracked corn and katir corn can be obtained, feed a mixture of three 
 parts wheat, two parts cracked corn, and one part of kafir corn. This 
 will make excellent growing feed for them until they are four months 
 old, when any other grains may be added that can be secured in the 
 market, such as buckwheat, oats, barley and any other grains that the 
 chickens will eat. A good formula to go by is to use about 50 percent 
 wheat where three kinds of grain are fed and 40 percent where more 
 than three kinds are used. This grain is small, easily digested, and is 
 rich in protein and mineral matter. Corn when fed alone has not enough 
 protein and too much fat. Buckwheat and barley are also rich in fat. 
 During the winter months corn ought to be fed in larger proportions and 
 should constitute at least 50 percent of the feed during the cold weather. 
 
 Green Food 
 
 Green food should not be overlooked when chicks are small. In the 
 very early spring sprouted oats make a splendid green feed for them. 
 As soon as possible, sow a bed of oats, cover the top of it with one-inch 
 poultry netting, which should be placed about six inches from the ground. 
 The chicks will eat the tops off and they will grow up again. Take six- 
 inch boards and stand them around the edge of the bed. driving sticks 
 in the middle to keep the wire from sagging. The wire can be nailed 
 on the top end of the board, which will make a good arrangement for 
 this purpose. 
 
 The little fellows prefer this green feed to anything that you can 
 furnish them, and it is always there for them to work on. By the time 
 the oats are through growing the chicks will be large enough to eat any 
 green feed that is supplied them. 
 
 As the chicks grow larger, it is important that they are furnished 
 with plenty of charcoal and grit of a larger size than they required when 
 they were smaller. The charcoal and grit can be secured in three sizes — 
 one size for the baby chick, a medium size for the growing chick, and a 
 large size for the matured fowl. Their winter quarters should be provided 
 with a hopper containing bran, beef scrap, oyster shell, grit and charcoal, 
 a section for each. During the winter months, when the hens are con- 
 fined, they should be fed green bone, about three pounds to a hundred 
 hens per day. Skimmed milk, curdled thick, makes a good substitute for 
 green bone. I get splendid results without feeding mashes. But mashes 
 are good if not too wet. A mash moistened with milk makes fine feed 
 for hens. To insure the proper amount of exercise during the winter 
 months, it is best to put the grains in litter and compel the hens to scratch 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 35 
 
 for them. Green food must not be overlooked. When it is not con- 
 venient to feed sprouted oats, alfalfa meal, cabbage or mangels are 
 splendid. 
 
 Sprouted Oats 
 
 Sprouted oats is the best green feed obtainable, and makes a good 
 cheap feed and is a great tgg producer. The fowls are fond of it. Feed 
 at noon as much as they will eat up clean. To prepare, take a pail half 
 full of oats, soak in water for about one day, drain water, and empty 
 into a box with half inch holes bored in the bottom. Sprinkle night and 
 morning with warm water. When oats commence to sprout, spread them 
 out into other boxes two inches thick, and sprinkle twice daily with warm 
 water. Keep oats well stirred each time they are sprinkled, and in about 
 a week or so they will have sprouted. The length of sprout will depend 
 on the temperature of the room. When sprouts are two inches long, 
 commence to feed to the hens, and by the time the sprouts are four to 
 five inches long you will have them all fed, and in the meantime have 
 another lot ready to feed. 
 
 Winter Quarters 
 
 You will bear in mind that the most perfect winter quarters are those 
 that have conditions nearest to summer. I do not mean that the tempera- 
 ture shall be as warm as summer, but to have other conditions as near 
 like what your fowls are accustomed to in the summer as practical. The 
 sprouted oats, a generous box of gravel, plenty of dust in their box, 
 clean quarters, fresh air, and no drafts can be had with little expense and 
 trouble, and will make conditions summerlike to them to a large extent. 
 If it is convenient, throw a basketful of old plaster in one corner, and 
 it will be surprising the amount of this they will consume, and it is good 
 for them, as the lime is needed for them in the formation of the egg 
 shell. This will make a good substitute for oyster shell. 
 
 Automatic Feeders 
 
 The automatic feeders are a fine thing for growing stock or breeders 
 in the summer time. When the flocks are confined to their winter quar- 
 ters I would much prefer to feed in litter. The chickens must be kept 
 active to get the best results, and I find the best way to keep them active 
 is to keep them working in a good supply of litter on the floor. Hopper 
 feeding is all right to a certain extent. The mineral matter, such as 
 oyster shell, grit, animal matter such as beef scrap, and a dry mash may 
 
36 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 be fed them in this manner. Keeping the fowls supplied with a dried 
 mash in the hopper insures them always having enough to eat. In case 
 they are not fed sufficiently in the litter they will finish their meal at the 
 hopper. If the chickens are always ready for you when you enter the 
 pen with the feed pail you will know that they are not being overfed. 
 If they are hungry they will flock around as soon as you enter. If they 
 are indifferent when you go in you will know that they are being overfed. 
 So it is time to cut down on their rations. 
 
 Piano Box Colony House 
 
 In another chapter I discussed incubators and brooders, but perhaps 
 while I am talking over with you your baby chicks, you'd be interested in 
 my experience with a home-made colony house — many of which I still 
 use. After the hatches came off, the fluffy babies were transferred to the 
 brooder — and it is remarkable to see how they thrive and grow. They 
 are always anxious to get out and when the robins return bringing spring 
 with them, I let the growing youngsters into their sunflower parks. 
 
 The beautiful days of May come all too soon — and chicks grow 
 splendidly. They are now large enough so that sexes may be separated. 
 A colony house made from a piano box such as will be found illustrated 
 on page 33 will make a comfortable and economical quarters for growing 
 stock. I removed the bottom of the box, then placed two pieces of 2x6 
 under the box, sawed off the corners next to the ground, which will make 
 it easy to move. These pieces are placed about twelve inches from the 
 outer edge of the box and the floor nailed to them. I placed a few bricks 
 under them so that the box can be raised high enough to afford the 
 chickens splendid shelter on rainy days. I placed the box on a high spot 
 so that the ground was dry under it, as the chicks prefer to go under the 
 box rather than go inside during the daytime in case of any rough 
 weather. After I had the runners secured I next divided the front, which 
 was the bottom of the box and is now open, by nailing a 2x4 between 
 the bottom and the top at the front edge. Next I nailed a 2x4 of the 
 same length against each side, on the inside flush with the front. This 
 served to hang the doors on. I made the doors out of 1x2 and covered 
 with one-inch mesh. If you are likely to be troubled with weasles it 
 would be a good idea to tack wire cloth on the frames instead of one- 
 inch poultry netting. This wire cloth can be secured any width and as 
 fine as you wish. The half-inch hardware cloth is sufficiently fine. These 
 doors answered the purpose very nicely until the weather became a little 
 cool in the fall, when I tacked muslin over the wire. After the doors 
 were on I covered the top of the box with roofing paper, stopped all 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 37 
 
 the cracks so that there was no draft, and next put in the roosts. These 
 I placed about ten inches apart, and there was room for three or four 
 of them. These boxes make splendid quarters for the growing stock and 
 will be a good place for them until the weather gets cold in the Fall or 
 until they are ready to be taken to their Winter quarters. 
 
 The colony houses can be placed in the parks or in an open field. A 
 cornfield makes an ideal location on account of the shade and the ground 
 being tilled frequently, giving the chickens lots of loose earth to work 
 in and a chance to get earthworms. I used two parks for the colony 
 houses, one for the males and one for the females. In May I found the 
 chicks growing nicely, and those of the large males that did not promise 
 to make good breeders I sold for broilers. 
 
 Care should be taken not to force the breeders during the breeding 
 season or any other time. The breeding pen should not be fed wet 
 mashes, because this has a tendency to produce the fatal white diarrhoea 
 in the chick. In case that the eggs are not as fertile as they should be, 
 it will be found that the male is so gallant that he defers eating until 
 the females have the feed consumed. In such cases as this it is necessary 
 to feed the male by himself once or twice a day for a while, and every 
 other day he should be supplied with a little ground raw lean beef. 
 
38 
 
 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 CHAPTER V 
 
 GETTING THE EGGS 
 
 Importance of Male Bird 
 
 X my former edition of this book I made the statement 
 
 "The male is half the pen and should be a bird of 
 
 good type." I feel satisfied in my own mind, after 
 
 recent experiments, that the male bird is more nearly 
 
 seven-eighths of the pen. The hen is a factor — but 
 
 by no means the dominant one. If a breeder mates 
 
 a hen of great laying capacity with a cockerel whose 
 
 parents were moderate egg producers, the chances 
 
 are that the "kin" will take after the male, and also 
 
 be moderate egg layers. If a hen of moderate egg-laying capacity be 
 
 mated with a cockerel whose parents held a high record, the chances 
 
 are the progeny will also take a high place in egg production. 
 
 Admittedly the greatest profit from hens is in the eggs— and par- 
 ticularly winter eggs. It costs a certain amount to feed and care for a 
 pullet until it reaches the laying age. And then there is a constant 
 monthly "overhead" and feeding expense, all of which must be figured, 
 and for which the hen must be made to pay before she produces a profit 
 for the owner. It is important, therefore, to bear in mind the necessity 
 of getting male birds from a prolific egg-laying strain. If you want more 
 eggs, one of the cheapest and most effective ways to secure them is to buy 
 best cockerel possible instead of purchasing an entire flock of pedigree 
 hens and then mating them with a second-rate male bird. You get prac- 
 tically all the inherited ability to lay, transmitted by the cockerel. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 
 
 39 
 
 When Superb Vitality Counts 
 
 In my last catalog and in other advertising which I have recently 
 published, I have emphasized — somewhat to the surprise of many of my 
 business friends — the idea of superb and supreme vitality. I even went 
 so far as to show a photograph of one of my birds making a "20 yard 
 dash" across one of the yards. I will not tolerate a droopy slacker hen 
 or cockerel — and at the present time we very seldom have to contend with 
 such birds. When they appear, and imperfections are discovered, the 
 cockerels are fattened for broilers and soon killed. 
 
 Diagrammatic Comparison 
 
 If you will compare the two diagrams, you will observe the alert, 
 sprightly, vigorous carriage of the parallelogram shaped body and the 
 
40 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 weak, supine aspect of the triangular shaped body. Keep away from 
 birds with triangular shaped bodies. Select cockerels with plenty of pep 
 and fight, with glossy feathers and well developed, large heads, with 
 well formed combs of brilliant color, strong, prominent eyes, proud 
 appearance, full, deep breast, well rounded abdomen, powerful legs, set 
 quite far apart, a broad, strong back — and a fellow who has a loud, clear 
 crow to welcome the rising sun. 
 
 Specifications of an Ideal Male 
 
 In my selection of the ideal Ancona male, I would look for the 
 following points : I'd pick out a fellow with a long back, slightly sloping 
 downward to the tail, with no apparent angle at the tail. His tail should 
 be carried at an angle of 40 degrees, but don't be afraid of the tail being 
 too low. The head, and especially the comb, should be as near perfect 
 as possible. The comb is the first thing that is noticed in a bird and is 
 naturally very prominent. It should have five serrations ; three or four 
 is no serious objection, because the tendency is for the points to increase 
 in number. The comb should stand erect, the blade continuing a flowing 
 curve upward from the line of head, free from all side spriggs. Do not 
 use a male too light in color. He should be dark, with as little white 
 in his wings and tail as possible. The shanks should be yellow, or yellow 
 mottled with black. Females of good shape, with a long body, with the 
 tail carried at an angle of about 35 degrees, good head points, comb of 
 good size with five serrations or less, free from side spriggs and folds, 
 well mottled, with as few white feathers in the tail and wings as possible. 
 The shanks should be yellow, or yellow mottled with black. If the male 
 bird has a solid yellow shank, the female may have a little more black 
 on the shank. A combination such as this will give you splendid results. 
 If the male bird is very dark the female birds may have more white. 
 By mating them for a season or two you can determine what results you 
 will get from light or dark colored birds. The tendency is to breed 
 lighter, so it is a good fault to breed the birds dark. 
 
 The Rose Comb Ancona may be mated the same as the Single Comb, 
 excepting the comb. The principal point to note is to see that the male 
 bird is strong in the points where the females are weak. If the male 
 bird has not a good spike on his comb, care should be taken to secure 
 females that are strong on this point. 
 
 Breeding pens to get best results, should not have over fifteen females. 
 I have seen twenty females mated to a good vigorous male with splendid 
 results, but this is unusual. 
 
 Put the right kind of a cockerel with second grade birds, and you 
 are much more likely to secure a generous supply of eggs, than if you 
 put a second grade cockerel with an entire flock of pedigree hens. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 41 
 
 Housing for Egg Production 
 
 When you. have secured your pullets with the inherited tendency to 
 lay large numbers of eggs, you have only begun. These pullets have to 
 be carefully tended until they reach the creative stage and then they must 
 receive the treatment that will bring the egg-laying tendency to its finest 
 fruition and this means proper housing and proper feeding. Keep the 
 ground free from taint and open to the action of the air and sun. Keep 
 the houses scrupulously clean and nest-boxes inviting with fresh hay or 
 straw. These things matter very much ! 
 
 Feeding for Egg Production 
 
 There certainly is no mystery about the problem of feeding the right 
 sort of food in the proper proportions to encourage heavy egg yield. The 
 ratio of albuminoids to carbohydrates should be as one in five. The albu- 
 minoids make flesh — eggs ! Carbohydrates supply the heating energy. One 
 way of working out the question in terms of food is as follows : — One 
 pound bran, one middlings, one maize meal, one fish meal and one half 
 clover meal. One of soya-bean meal may be added when not too expen- 
 sive. As I have said, these meals may be given moistened with warm 
 water or fed dry, just as they are, but in that case the dry mixture must 
 be fed out of a specially constructed box called a hopper. 
 
 Green bone, fresh from the butcher's, as a part of the food — say one- 
 third — on every alternate day, encourages pullets to lay quickly — but be 
 careful about "forcing" the bird. Sprouted oats or sprouted wheat are 
 economical feeds and excellent aids to hen fruit. 
 
 Next in importance to food for egg-yield, is the supply of water. 
 Without water there would be no egg and no fowl. Don't keep hens 
 waiting one moment to drink! If the hen has to wait a long time, the 
 potential egg may vanish and where two eggs would have been laid, with 
 ample liquid available, only one will materialize. Keep plenty of fresh, 
 clean water before your hens. 
 
 Four important reasons why a constant supply of fresh water should 
 be kept before laying hens, are as follows : 
 1 — Water is used to soften food for digestion. 
 2 — Water, in the form of blood, acts as a common carrier and keeps the 
 
 body vigorous. 
 3 — Water constitutes about 75 percent of the egg. 
 A — Water is very important in equalizing the temperature of the hen's body. 
 
42 
 
 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 Some Egg Facts 
 
 The demand for eggs has always been, and probably always will be, 
 ahead of the supply. An egg is something that can be marketed on either 
 a modest or large scale, but always marketed. It is never a drug on the 
 market. 
 
 The word "egg" comes from the Anglo-Saxon oeg. Chaucer and 
 other early writers use the forms ey, eg, egge. It was really surprising 
 to me to find how many expressions and products got their name directly 
 
 With good birds you, too, can do this 
 or better 
 
 from the egg. For instance, the first watches ever made were egg-shaped 
 and were sometimes called "animated eggs." The finest artists have 
 used delicately tinted birds' eggs as color models — the exquisite shades 
 painted by Nature on these shells being matchless in harmony. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 43 
 
 It was interesting for me to learn that our ocean transports carding 
 our men to France, carry approximately 25,000 eggs each trip. France 
 has always been a great country for eggs, and before the war, in Paris, 
 they figured to allow each person 180 eggs a year. 
 
 A great many people think that eggs are good for the voice. Egg 
 -jlvA lemon juice beaten together are recommended for hoarseness. Charles 
 II of England presented a favorite singer with a silver egg filled with 
 guineas, wittily remarking, "Take this; I am told that eggs are good for 
 the voice.*' 
 
 I could sit here and talk for an hour on the romance of what we call 
 "a common hen's egg" — I could call your attention to the Jewish people 
 who taboo pork but are a remarkably healthy race. x\s a people they 
 make great use of eggs — even the poorest giving them preference over 
 other foods. A man once said that if, for every pig kept by private 
 families, a flock of hens were substituted, there would be less patent 
 medicine required and a general improvement in health. If you will stop 
 to think of it, you will realize that fewer individuals show an antipathy 
 for eggs than for most foods — in fact no honest appetite rejects them. 
 
 Right here it might not be out of place for us to give consideration 
 to the food value and chemistry of the eggs. I am showing a sketch of a 
 typical Ancona egg. The "Famous" Ancona egg will weigh two ounces 
 or slightly under that. Standard authorities give the following proportions 
 of chemical elements in the dry substance of the average hen's egg: 
 
 Carbon 53% to 55% ■ 
 
 Nitrogen 15% to 16% 
 
 Hydrogen 7% 
 
 Oxygen 21% to 22% 
 
 Sulphur 1% to 2% 
 
 Phosphorus 5% 
 
 Eggs are splendid food for trained workers. Ericsson, the inventor, 
 labored at least twelve hours out of twenty-four to a ripe old age; his 
 breakfast for every day of the year was two poached eggs. Weston, the 
 pedestrian, while walking one hundred miles in twenty-two hours, con- 
 sumed from sixteen to twenty raw eggs. 
 
 Contrary to the thought which prevailed years ago, eggs are easily 
 digested — more so than meat and most vegetables. Not only are eggs good 
 mental food, but they sustain the body as well. They are about eighty-two 
 calories in each Ancona egg. So much about eggs. 
 
/ 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 
 
 CHAPTER VI 
 
 45 
 
 POULTRY HOUSES 
 Building for Egg Production — for Warmth 
 
 HAT constitutes a successful poultry house? I should 
 say one that keeps the bird Mn perfect comfort and 
 health, and enables them to produce the largest yield 
 of eggs. Of course you don't get eggs from poultry 
 houses — but if you take the same identical birds and 
 put them in one house and then change them to 
 another there may be a decided difference in the egg 
 yield just because of the conditions provided by the 
 "fowl" dwelling. 
 I am certain that a light and airy house will encourage egg laying and 
 
 jtpfL* *W~i 
 
 w 
 
 that a dark, stuffy house absolutely will 
 
 egg production are : 
 
 1— food 
 2— light 
 3 — air 
 
 not. The three big factors in 
 
 Specifications for Economical Houses 
 
 An open air poultry house is recognized by practically all prominent 
 poultry men to be the most satisfactory for laying flocks. On page 60 
 will be found an illustration of the type of laying houses used on my 
 farm. This building is 322 feet long and can be built any length desired. 
 It is 20 feet deep. If the house is more than 8 feet deep, it would be 
 a good plan to locate windows at the back of the house as well as at the 
 front. One-quarter of the front of this long house for laying flocks, is 
 open and the opening is covered with one-inch poultry netting on the 
 outside. Frames are covered with a medium grade cotton and operated 
 from the inside so that the attendant can raise and lower them and leave 
 as much as desired. During the fine weather these spaces are left entirely 
 open. During the cold weather, when the thermometer registers from 
 zero to 20 degrees and below, the curtains are kept down all the way. 
 These curtains of cotton also keep out rain, snow and strong wind. 
 
 A glass window every 12 feet, lets in light in case of stormy weather 
 when the curtains are kept down. There are very few days that the 
 curtain cannot be raised, and I find it makes a very practical house. The 
 
46 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 foundation is made of cement and runs below the ground level eighteen 
 inches, and is fifteen inches above. This stops all drafts and makes a 
 comfortable place for the birds. For the first two of three years I would 
 recommend the earth floor. After that it would be necessary to replace 
 the earth with fresh dirt or put in a wood or cement floor. The roof is 
 made of a good grade of paper roofing, the sides are built of double V 
 siding and lined with tar paper on the inside. The partitions are 12 feet 
 apart, and every fourth section is built solid of boards, air-tight. This 
 
 
 i 
 
 ^^*j* 
 
 Group of day-old chick shipping cases 
 
 stops all drafts. Tike all other poultry buildings, the laying house should 
 face the south. The front of the building is 8 feet in height over the 
 foundation, and the back of the building is 4 feet high. The dropping- 
 boards are put in against the back wall and run the full length of the 
 building. They are about 3 feet from the ground. Cotton curtains are 
 placed in front of the roosts to protect the fowls in extreme weather. 
 
 The studding is put in twenty-two inches apart. A door is placed in 
 the middle of each pen, the width of the studding and the height of the 
 opening. This door is made of one-by-two strips and covered with one- 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 47 
 
 inch mesh. It is fastened from the inside to prevent anyone from entering 
 the building, and is used for the chickens to go in and out, and also by 
 the attendant for taking the litter in and out. 
 
 It will be found' that in such buildings as these, healthy, vigorous 
 and happy stock will be raised. I have stood across the fields fifteen 
 hundred feet distant from the houses in the dead of Winter, in zero 
 weather, and could hear my birds singing their merry song as in the 
 good old Summer time. The important features or the most valuable 
 assets the modern poultry house can have are plenty of light and fresh 
 air; and the open front is the one that fills the bill. 
 
 The chicken parks should be as generous as the ground will permit. 
 The ideal park would have a southern exposure. It is a good plan to 
 plant fruit trees in the parks, and these will furnish the chickens with 
 shade as well as the table with lots of fruit. The parks should be culti- 
 vated often in the early Spring. If the parks are long enough it is well 
 to fence off the part farthest from the laying house and sow it with 
 rape. This not only furnishes the chickens with an excellent green food, 
 but also keeps the ground sweet and fresh. It is important to have the 
 parks built on high ground as well as the houses. In case the high ground 
 cannot be secured, be sure that the parks are well drained, because the 
 chickens will not do well where they have to stay in parks that are wet 
 for several days after every rainstorm. 
 
 Do not overlook the necessity of keeping the poultry houses clean, 
 and especially the brooder. The brooder should be cleaned nearly every 
 two or three days, and sprayed well with some strong disinfectant. This 
 will keep them free from insects and keep the air pure. The litter should 
 be changed often. After the chicks are a month old it will be found 
 easier to clean the brooder or colony houses by throwing in some fine 
 earth. This will prevent anything from sticking to the floors. After they 
 are three or four months old the roost may be put in the colony houses, 
 and by keeping in a fair supply of dirt it will not be necessary to clean 
 them more than twice a week, as the earth absorbs the strong odors. The. 
 laying houses should be sprayed once a month during the winter season. 
 The roosts should be painted with some good disinfectant every week. 
 A mixture of slack lime and crude carbolic acid will make protection 
 against vermin and diseases, but as the lime will affect the color of the 
 legs, spraying will be found more satisfactory where show birds are being- 
 raised. 
 
48 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 Water Tight, Well Ventilated, Well Lighted 
 
 Success in poultry, although working hand in hand with good houses, 
 has really nothing to do with a special design of house. Many of the 
 most successful and largest egg farmers in the country have houses made 
 on the open front principle, which differ only in detail, and if these 
 are good enough for successful men who specialize on egg production, 
 they surely are good enough for the amateur or back-yarder or owner 
 of a small family flock. A good house need not be expensive. Just 
 keep the four principles in mind in planning and building a poultry house. 
 
 1 — Have it water tight. 
 2 — Have it well ventilated. 
 3 — Have it well lighted. 
 4 — Have it free from drafts. 
 
 Possessing those four points, it realty doesn't matter how inexpensive your 
 house is, just so it provides healthy accommodations for the number of 
 birds you have. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 49 
 
 CHAPTER VII 
 
 MAKING SHIPMENTS 
 
 January Inquiries 
 
 HE last part of January, of the first year I did 
 advertising worth while, my breeding pens were 
 made up and the mating list and catalog all ready 
 to be distributed. In compiling the circular or cata- 
 log, it is a good plan to give a history and description 
 of the breed so as to create confidence in their 
 good points. 
 
 Before January was over, inquiries were coming 
 in for eggs and baby chicks. I had about the same 
 experience with these inquiries that I had with the inquiries for stock 
 in the early fall. I found that the mail had become quite heavy, and 
 much of the time was occupied answering correspondence. Before Febru- 
 ary was far advanced, some orders for baby chicks and hatching eggs 
 had been received. My incubators were set and the brooders ready. 
 
 Boxing and Shipping Eggs 
 
 The time was due for the first shipment of eggs, and it was important 
 to know how to pack them. There are many different ways, and different 
 breeders are indorsing different plans. The easiest way to ship, and one 
 of the cheapest, is by the use of the egg boxes manufactured by box 
 companies. On page 51 is one of these boxes illustrated. All that is 
 necessary is to wrap the eggs in paper and place in the section for each 
 egg. Scatter a little bran or chaff over them. Seal the box and it is 
 ready to go. This will do for a short haul. But if it is going far I 
 would put the box in a basket and tie to the handle so it will not be 
 tossed out. A little excelsior or straw placed in the bottom of the basket 
 will be a great protection against any careless handling at the hands of 
 the express company. These boxes are more desirable for single settings. 
 I found round bushel baskets satisfactor}- for shipping fifty or more eggs. 
 When orders ran up to a thousand or more these baskets are just the thing. 
 Each basket will hold one hundred eggs. In extreme weather I line these 
 baskets with paper. I wrap each egg in paper before placing it in the 
 basket. The bushel basket should be well lined with straw by distributing 
 it around the side and bottom of the basket about two inches thick to 
 
50 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 make a good cushion in the bottom of it so that the eggs will not break. 
 After the straw is nicely arranged in the basket, I start the first layer 
 by placing the eggs with small end down. This is the best way for the 
 eggs to lie, because it will stand shipment better than if placed on the 
 side. After the first layer is placed I scatter a little fine chaff or a 
 little fine cut straw over the eggs, then put paper on the top before placing 
 the next layer of eggs. This paper prevents the chaff from working from 
 the top layer down to the bottom. On top of the second layer I again 
 place the chaff or fine cut straw, and always place the paper between 
 each layer. I do not put the eggs too close to the top of the cover. Room 
 should be allowed for straw between the eggs and the cover. In former 
 years I have used excelsior for lining the baskets, but find straw more 
 satisfactory, as it will keep out more cold and be a better protection for 
 the eggs. On page 46 will be found the picture of a shipment of these 
 baskets already packed. The covers are fastened on with basket hooks. 
 
 Shipping Baby Chicks 
 
 The first shipment of baby chicks was due to go early in March. 
 The first hatch was off just in time for the first order. It was the first 
 experience in shipping baby chicks, and I was naturally puzzled as to how 
 to do it. Have received many letters from different ones asking me for 
 instructions in shipping stock, eggs and baby chicks, so I am safe in 
 saying that these are matters that bother everyone. On page 46 you will 
 find illustrated a box for shipping baby chicks. This is a remarkable and 
 splendid device for this purpose. It is not only warm and protects the 
 chicks against the cold, but also is very strong and has a wonderful 
 resistance against hard usage. These boxes are made in three different 
 sizes. The smallest size will accommodate twelve to twenty-five chicks, 
 the next size will hold fifty, and the largest size will hold one hundred. 
 The fact that nature has made provision for the baby chicks to live 
 without food for the first three days of their existence makes it practical 
 to send these little beauties hundreds of miles with splendid results. I 
 have shipped them as far as three thousand miles, but do not recommend 
 shipping quite so far. I ship the chicks just as soon as they have become 
 dry and their down has become fluffy. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 
 
 51 
 
 
 
 
 ..„_.' 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 I'pjl 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ~~3i ' 
 
 : ■'• '-if* '. : ?ISiasi3 tH; » - '-"A 
 
 jbr 
 
 L^- 
 
 ?? 
 
 T/tiy illustrates the boxes I use for shipping hatching eggs. The one on top is 
 ready to receive the eggs. The one on the right is packed with eggs and the cover 
 partly on. The box on the left is ready for shipment, and contains 15 eggs. 
 
 Shipping Stock 
 
 On page 67 is illustrated a shipping box such as I use for the birds. 
 This kind of a box is very desirable because it is light and makes a splen- 
 did advertisement for your business. 
 
 These shipping boxes I make in three sizes — No. 1 for a single bird, 
 No. 2 for a trio, and No. 3 for a pen of five to eight. The No. 1 size is 
 ten inches wide, nineteen inches long and eighteen inches high ; No. 2 is 
 fifteen inches wide, twenty-four inches long and eighteen inches high ; 
 No. 3 is twenty inches wide, twenty-four inches long and eighteen inches 
 high. The ends and bottom should be made out of white pine or poplar, 
 and the sides out of extra heavy and extra strong strawboard. The slats 
 across the top are two inches wide and should be put on about two 
 inches apart. These boxes can be bought with bottom and ends cleated 
 ready to nail together, including slats and heavy cardboard sides, at forty 
 cents for size No. 1, fifty cents for size No. 2, and sixty cents for size 
 No. 3. 
 
52 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 During the warm summer and fall months the fowls should be pro- 
 vided with water in transit. This is done by fastening a tin can to the 
 inside of the box. In the cooler days of the fall and winter the water 
 will not be necessary if the birds will be delivered within two or three 
 days. A good substitute for water is to place a few apples in the box 
 with them and thus eliminate the danger of birds having wet straw in their 
 box by the water splashing from their drinking can. Where the birds 
 are on the way for over the third day, they should be provided with 
 water. In the fall of the year, as the weather becomes colder, it is a 
 good plan to tack muslin on the top of the box to prevent them from 
 getting their combs frosted or getting in a draft at some transfer point. 
 A space about two inches wide should be left for the express company 
 to water them. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 
 
 ?o 
 
 A shipment of Sheppard's stock ready to start on the long trip of 
 12,000 miles to far away Australia. 
 
 CHAPTER VIII 
 
 THE FOUR SALES ESSENTIALS 
 
 
 i 
 
 irfL* *j§~i 
 
 
 F four times as many people as are now selling poultry 
 and eggs, even on a small scale, were to start adver- 
 tising and selling their eggs and poultry, the demand 
 still would not be supplied. 
 
 I am going to give you the result of my experi- 
 ence right straight through, even on the sales end, 
 so that with the facts I put into this book, you will 
 have the required information not only to success- 
 fully produce poultry and the eggs, but also to mar- 
 ket these economically. 
 
 Let me discuss briefly "Salesmanship of Poultry." This consists 
 primarily of advertising because poultry and eggs must be sold chiefly by 
 mail. There are four sales essentials : 
 
 1— Cause the reader to Look at your advertisement. 
 2— Put him in a favorable attitude toward your message. 
 3 — Persuade him to Learn about your poultry or service. 
 A — "Land" his business. 
 
54 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 These four sales essentials can be briefly expressed in the four words. 
 "Look, Like, Learn and Land." 
 
 Every letter, every circular, every mating list, every catalog, every 
 poultry paper or newspaper advertisement, every envelope "stuffer" or 
 printed matter sent out on your poultry and eggs, in order to be most 
 successful, should be planned with these four essentials in mind. 
 
 Make Them "Look" 
 
 On the opposite page you will find a group of my advertisements. 
 Suppose we take a couple of these and analyze them. Take the pair of 
 ads, "Boy Scouts" and "You will." First, our job is to make the reader 
 of the poultry papers in which these appear, look at the advertisement — 
 stop, look and listen. We have got to do something to flag his or her 
 attention. Not necessarily to startle them, because sometimes when peo- 
 ple are startled, a reaction takes place in their mind, which causes them 
 to dislike what you have to say. Be careful about not creating antag- 
 onism. Do not have your headings or pictures negative or disagreeable 
 in effect. Like poultry, they should be live, energetic and forceful. 
 
 Make Them Like 
 
 The picture of the Boy Scout with the word "Boy" and the picture of 
 the hand with the word "You," catch the eye, cause the reader to look. 
 Who doesn't like a husky Boy Scout? This pleasure is reflected on the 
 message found down in the advertising copy. We believe that the average 
 person will at once agree that "You don't enjoy a losing game." Thus, 
 you see we have caused the readers both to look and like. 
 
 They may not respond to our advertisement this time, but the next 
 time they see a Sheppard message, they are going to be favorably disposed 
 toward it and not antagonistic. People don't understand their own frames 
 of mind. It doesn't require any definite, disagreeable thing to set edgewise 
 against your proposition. Just make a few "bad breaks" with your advertis- 
 ing copy or your form letters, and people will avoid you like the plague. 
 They quit cold. You won't understand why and they won't understand 
 why. So in writing your advertising copy, it wants to be just as happy 
 and harmonious with the frame of mind of the reader as possible. 
 
 Make Them Learn 
 
 Now how will we cause them to "Learn"? In each piece of copy I 
 plan to tell them just enough so that a strong desire will be aroused to 
 

 ^dWS^re Card**, K«-f Yaffil? U^.Mp in ttx W ug Pens 
 
 i//,.l:;.hHii.»»,)» ■»4v,S. ■,--: ,,»-,.: •■ -• . ■: v <■- ■ -.. . 
 
 
 
 ■- ■ ; 
 
 SHEP-PARD 
 
56 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 learn more. I hold back all the information and try to get them interested 
 to write. for my catalog or one of my books. If you will get a reading- 
 glass you will be able to study out some of this copy, and you will see that 
 I touch upon, briefly, in each advertisement : 
 
 1 — Egg-laying ability. 
 2 — Prize- winning. 
 3 — Appeal to beauty. 
 
 so that these three important points are covered in some way in each adver- 
 tisement. The big thing, after all, of course, is to get the name of the 
 prospect on the "line with dots." Until you get the order, and the check 
 or money order as well, nothing has been closed and the proof of the value 
 of your salesmanship in advertising depends upon the cash you receive for 
 the stock, the day-old chicks or the eggs for hatching you may offer. 
 
 The operating of commercial egg plant and the selling of eggs for 
 home use, is another business entirely, which I. will not here discuss. I am 
 endeavoring to make it somewhat easier and less expensive for you to sell 
 your stock, your day-old chicks and your eggs for hatching. 
 
 Landing Them — How to Do It — A Dozen and One Sales Pointers 
 
 Now, how shall we "land" the prospect who has already sufficiently 
 interested himself in our proposition to write for information and learn 
 more about our stock? We have got to bring this message to him so in- 
 terestingly, so emphatically and so truthfully, that his confidence will be 
 inspired to the point where he will feel that we are just the ones who 
 should receive his order. Use plenty of photographs, good pictures taken 
 of your own birds to illustrate your printed matter. It helps to show the 
 picture of the person who is offering the stock — unless he looks like a 
 second-story worker. I believe it pays, once in a while, to call in an adver- 
 tising man to help you get ideas regarding your headings and to assist you 
 in making your advertising as interesting and readable as possible — but 
 a still better plan is to have some characteristic style, either your own writ- 
 ing or the writing of someone who is a good friend of yours, used in all of 
 these advertising pieces so that they will have personality. Don't forget 
 that when the prospects write for information they want information. Give 
 them the plain facts and plenty of them. Tell them the whole story just so 
 far as you can. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 
 
 CHAPTER IX 
 
 5/ 
 
 ADVERTISING TO SUCCESS 
 Visiting the Shows 
 
 ARLY in my experience I found one of my best adver- 
 tisements was showing my birds at both large and 
 small shows. But this would have been a poor adver- 
 tisement had I not won a major portion of the prizes 
 in the particular class or classes I entered. 
 
 At one of the first shows I visited I remember my 
 experience. I was showing King William I, a hand- 
 some cockerel who had won first at the great Dairy 
 Show, London, England, and was naturally proud of 
 him. A man admired him very much and asked. my price. I told him one 
 thousand dollars. It was fortunate for me that he did not buy him, be- 
 cause he has been the foundation of my flock and he has been worth not 
 less than ten thousand dollars to me. It does not pay to sell your best 
 stock. I never price my best birds. They are always to be found in my 
 breeding pen. By doing this I have been able to keep improving my flock, 
 and when my customers want eggs from prize winners they get them. 
 
 Building Good Records 
 
 I first built up a good record before I commenced to get out any 
 printed advertising other than mere announcements of the stock I had for 
 sale. It is one thing to simply list what you have to sell and another thing 
 to write this up so interestingly and appealingly that people will be per- 
 suaded to purchase it, even if they had not intended to before reading the 
 copy. 
 
 I had reached the time when I wished to burn into the mind of the 
 buying public the merits of my chickens. In preparing my advertising I 
 eliminated every unnecessary detail and made the essential facts as interest- 
 ing as possible. I found that concentrated, consistent endeavor brings 
 results. 
 
 Continuity in advertising is the greatest essential of success. 
 
 Jacob's Follow-Up 
 
 Jacob once cranked up his dromedaries and set out from Padanaram 
 with his wives, kiddies and live stock. An authentic report reached him 
 that Brother Esau, the owner of a large Grouch, because of a certain 
 
58 
 
 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 **<dB 
 
 
 "Busy Days" Among the Colony Houses on Sheppard's Famous Farm 
 
 swiped birth-right, was roaring to meet him with a bunch of fighters. 
 Jacob then started to "sell" himself to his wild-eyed kin. He set apart live 
 stock for a gift. But he didn't hand it to Esau all at once. No, no. He 
 divided it into six or nine groups and "put a space betwixt drove and 
 drove." He was after a series of favorable impressions. He even went so 
 far as to halve his own family and possessions — put a space between the 
 halves— and join himself to the rear caravan. Saving his heaviest shot for 
 the last. If all this isn't safe and sane advertising psychology, then what 
 is it? 
 
 You have, to keep after people time after time, sometimes it's the last 
 letter that gets the big order. The same follow-up idea applies to using 
 papers. If you havn't very much capital, pick out one good paper and stay 
 in it every month. Don't drop out unless it demonstrates that it is not pull- 
 ing business for you. If it is, stay in and gradually add to your list. It's 
 the tap, tap, tap of the advertising- hammer that counts. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 59 
 
 Advertising Pays 
 
 I found advertising paid well, although I did not get big returns the 
 first year. The second year I advertised more and was pleased to note 
 that the returns increased in proportion to the extent I advertised. Each 
 year I spent more money for advertising, and have always found the re- 
 turns justified it. I want to impress upon you the importance of advertis- 
 ing. "It pays to advertise." This is a hackneyed expression, but never- 
 theless it is true. It pays to advertise generously. Don't be afraid to 
 spend a few dollars advertising in the poultry journals. The money will 
 come back and a great deal more with it. Do you know a successful poul- 
 try man or a successful business man who has not been a generous adver- 
 tiser? I was not advertising long before I was shipping stock to Europe, 
 Africa, and the remotest parts of the earth. My advice is, first, get good 
 stock ; second, advertise it ; third, give your customers a square deal, and 
 you will succeed. Don't become discouraged in case you run across a cus- 
 tomer occasionally that you cannot please, no matter how hard you try. 
 You will have such experience, no matter what your business is. I dis- 
 covered that long before I went into the chicken business. 
 
 An Unpleasant Experience 
 
 There were some things in my advertising experience that were not 
 always pleasant. For instance, I started my advertising by using classified 
 space in a couple poultry journals. I want to say that I was very much dis- 
 gusted and disgruntled with the first results, because I was getting more 
 letters from people who wanted to sell me more advertising or something 
 else, than inquiries from prospective buyers. But I kept at it and it wasn't 
 long before inquiries for stock and eggs were numerous. Then I got up 
 my first circular, which was a little 6x9 pamphlet, illustrating it with some 
 cuts of my birds, hatching eggs and stock. I started with two pens — No. 1 
 at five dollars per setting and No. 2 at two dollars per setting of fifteen 
 eggs. I mailed my circular in answer to every inquiry, and did not fail to 
 write a short letter in answer to each inquiry, which read as follows. 
 "Here's the circular illustrating and describing the birds regarding which 
 you made inquiry a few days ago. They're great layers, and I very much 
 hope that you will carefully study this circular and then permit me to 
 demonstrate their worth." To send a short personal letter with these cir- 
 culars in a sealed envelope with a two-cent stamp, will be found to pay. 
 
 The First Orders 
 
 I soon received my first order for hatching eggs. The next thing I 
 was up against was to know the best way to pack them. After investigating 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 61 
 
 the matter I was informed that the basket was considered good. I secured 
 a supply of baskets and after wrapping the eggs carefully in paper I packed 
 them in a basket with excelsior and sewed a cloth over the top. I gave you 
 my later experience in packing and shippings of eggs on a preceding page. 
 
 Increasing My Advertising 
 
 After the first year's advertising, the poultry business looked very good 
 to me — it seemed to have possibilities for the future, so I decided to do 
 still more advertising the following year. By this time I had stock to sell 
 in the fall and hatching eggs in the spring, ^besides lots of eggs for the 
 market after supplying an abundance for our domestic use. With the 
 increased advertising came the increased amount of business. I com- 
 menced my advertising in September. Inquiries commenced to come 
 shortly after, and it was not long before I was getting orders for stock, 
 and as the season advanced the orders became more numerous. It 
 wasn't long before I had sold all the surplus stock. I continued my ad- 
 vertising through the Winter and Spring for the hatching season. After 
 my stock was sold I commenced returning money, and have been doing 
 this very thing every year since, because the demand was greater than 
 the supply. I predict that this will be the case for years to come — in fact, 
 it looks to me as though the demand will grow every year as the people 
 become familiar with the virtues of these great egg machines. Soon after 
 my stock was gone inquiries for hatching eggs began to arrive. They 
 increased as the season advanced. Before the season was half over I had 
 all the orders for hatching eggs I could fill. I had reserved enough 
 of my best birds to mate up four pens, and could have sold all the eggs 
 from three times as many pens, had I had them. I hatched more chicks 
 the following Spring, as I wanted to get ready for a greater demand 
 the following year. 
 
 This chapter is more or less of an "experience meeting" taken from 
 bumps I have received while traveling on the road and in the poultry 
 business since then. The science of salesmanship is of just as much 
 interest to a successful poultry man as it is to a successful salesman in 
 any line. 
 
 Getting Business by Letter 
 
 There are two ways to make sales : First, by personal interview, and 
 second, by letter. I told you a short time ago that by far the best way 
 to sell poultry is by letter or "direct by mail." The man on the ground 
 finds it somewhat easier to make sales than the man who has to sell by 
 
62 
 
 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 gffif.tf 
 
 /;___ v 
 
 ^ 
 
 IBW' 
 
 
 „' 
 
 
 ^3tiis?~*"€r 
 
 — -~-?/ F dK£ 
 
 
 ! 
 m 
 
 • ; -.a. 
 
 
 
 
 
 , - .a*. - i 
 
 Jflt 
 
 On<? day's shipment of eggs 
 
 letter, because he can talk with and size up his prospective customers, 
 while the absent salesman has to read between the lines the kind of buyer 
 he is dealing with. The average experienced drummer knows how to 
 approach a buyer almost the moment he sees him. With the mail system 
 this must be acquired by reading between the lines of the letter. It be- 
 hooves him to conduct his correspondence to get the best results. It is 
 here where many a beginner fails. 
 
 In preceding pages I have told of the importance of advertising. Ad- 
 vertising is the forerunner of success. The journals have done their part. 
 They have brought inquiries to you. They have brught prospective cus- 
 tomers to your desk, and now it is up to you to make the sale. The paper 
 has done its part when it gets you the inquiry. Now, go after and land the 
 business. 
 
 When you receive an answer to your advertisement you have a 
 reasonable assurance that the writer is interested, whether he sends his 
 inquiry on a post card or a piece of rough paper, or fine stationery, or 
 whether it is written with pencil, pen or typewriter. Answer all inquiries 
 carefully and promptly. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 63 
 
 What About Stationery? 
 
 Use a neat grade of stationery with an . attractive but not amateurish 
 letter head, and then a complete descriptive circular or catalog, just 
 whichever your business will justify. You wouldn't go out to solicit orders 
 wearing a pair of torn trousers, ragged shirt and barefooted, nor should 
 you send out cheap stationery with poor printing, expecting to get good 
 orders. Keep in mind that the advertising you mail out is your personal 
 representative and your honesty and the merit of the merchandise you 
 offer will be judged quite largely by the advertising material. Don't handi- 
 cap your proposition with cheap printed matter — I say this from my own 
 bitter experience and not because I am boosting the game of any printer. 
 
 Yes, it's very important to have good quality paper in your stationery 
 and catalog, but it is very much more important to have a good grade of 
 stock and a breed with merit. You have got to have the birds to back 
 up your sales talk or you won't get repeat business and we couldn't stay 
 in business very long if it wasn't for our repeat customers who come 
 back and buy from us year after year. When you have quality, you can 
 talk quality and your good stationery will be in harmony with the high 
 standard of your stock. 
 
 By building your reputation on high-grade quality you will build your 
 business on a solid foundation and you will have a trade that will stay 
 with you. It will not be a difficult matter to take your customers up 
 the four steps of the ladder of salesmanship when you have something to 
 sell that is in demand. If you will bear in mind the points I have men- 
 tioned you will find that you will not require twenty years' experience 
 on the road to sell chickens and hatching eggs, and sell all you can raise. 
 
 Service Principle in Advertising 
 
 There is a service as well as a commercial principle involved in 
 advertising. Think of the fact that you are rendering a service to a 
 man when you sell him your eggs or stock. Talk of the advantages he 
 will gain and be convinced in your own mind that he actually will se- 
 cure these advantages of pleasure and profit. Pleasure and profit are 
 the two things most interesting to the average buyer. 
 
 Contents of Advertisements 
 
 In writing your advertisements, talk more of fine breeding, pure strain, 
 good carriage, beauty, flavor, size and so on — give specific instances of 
 egg-laying records and prizes won, try and find little incidents and stories 
 
64 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 from your daily contact with the birds, that you. can put into advertise- 
 ments in chatty style. It is the human, common, ordinary every day 
 instances of life that are most interesting to other people. 
 
 Try and carry on your advertising in publications whose readers are 
 appreciative of fine poultry and who have the means as well as the in- 
 clination to buy it. Change your copy frequently so that you will always 
 have a different idea running to make people "look." Advertising is like 
 eggs, it must be fresh. 
 
 Appeal to the Beginner 
 
 Keep the beginner constantly in mind and word your advertising for 
 his comprehension. If he understands, the rest of the folks will. Re- 
 member that the beginners are eager for the best stock, and are larger 
 buyers than the older breeders. They are certainly worth catering to. 
 Although I have been in the poultry business for a good many years, 
 about 50% of my business each year comes from new beginners. This 
 is due partly to the fact that each year my business increases accordingly. 
 But I am continually wording my advertising to appeal to the beginner. 
 When I receive an inquiry from my journal advertising, I send out my 
 catalog, together with a friendly letter and I follow this up three times 
 to keep my proposition before the prospect and remind him that I am 
 ready to serve him promptly. 
 
 Price is secondary to the quality of your stock and price should be 
 the last thing about which you talk. You should have the reader thorough- 
 ly sold on your proposition before you say a word to him about how 
 much the birds are going to cost him. Then he will have the attitude 
 where he feels that any reasonable sum isn't too much. 
 
 As a conclusion for these two chapters on advertising and salesman- 
 ship, I want to leave those 4 L's. First, in your advertising you should 
 put in something in the way of an illustration or heading that will cause 
 a great many readers to LOOK. Then, your appeal must be of such a 
 nature that it will either make the reader actually smile or feel good all 
 over. It will make him LIKE your message in other words. Then it 
 should have enough of a "kick" in it and tell him just enough about 
 your proposition so that he will be anxious to LEARN more about the 
 stock you have to offer. This will result in his inquiry and then your 
 printed matter should be of such a nature and your letters should be so 
 frank and friendly, that you will LAND him with the least possible 
 delay. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 65 
 
 CHAPTER X 
 WHAT TO DO EACH MONTH OF THE YEAR 
 
 HERE is something to do in the chicken 
 business every month in the year. I have 
 told you of my experience during the first 
 five years, up to the time when I moved 
 from the home in Berea with its "Town 
 Lot" poultry plant — out to the spacious 
 acres of our present poultry farm directly 
 adjoining Berea. Now I am going to talk 
 over in detail how I conducted the poultry business through- 
 out the twelve months of the year. Very little will be said 
 regarding some of these months, because they run along very 
 much like others, but when any changes in the program are 
 to be made, or when any special detail is to be taken care of 
 in a certain month, I have jotted it down for your infor- 
 mation. 
 
 My year begins with August — this is simply because I 
 started my venture during that month. This time of the year 
 is generally quiet on the farm. At present I take advantage 
 of the dull season to prepare my advertisements. During this 
 month I place my contracts for the year's advertising. The 
 chicks are well advanced by this time so I can see what I 
 have to sell, and what the prospects are for the coming year. 
 As grains are cheaper at this time of the year, I buy up all 
 the wheat and grain required for the season. By doing 
 this I find it very economical, and generally save quite an 
 item by buying in August rather than in December. By buy- 
 ing direct from the farmer I also save the feed man's profit, 
 which is also quite an item. I have found it a good time to 
 place my order for shipping boxes, baskets and other sup- 
 
66 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 plies. If I waited until late in the season to buy these 
 things, I might be delayed and might not be able to get them 
 when I really needed them. 
 
 AUGUST 
 
 I find little to do with the stock during August, except 
 to keep them free from lice. It is very important that this 
 is watched closely, and especially the old male birds. 
 
 SEPTEMBER 
 
 September finds the pullets ready for the laying house. 
 They should be placed in their laying houses early enough 
 to get accustomed to their new quarters by the time they are 
 ready to lay. The cockerels have developed sufficiently to 
 admit of judging their quality intelligently so the poor 
 grades can be sold. It is always good policy to keep the best 
 for sale and butcher the rest. By doing this early I have 
 more room for my growing stock. The colony houses that 
 housed fifty birds comfortably when younger, have now be- 
 come crowded since the birds have developed. By disposing 
 of the culls at the market, the good birds have a better show. 
 
 The houses are thoroughly cleaned, and buildings that 
 are not sprayed every month should be whitewashed at this 
 time. The dust boxes are looked after and plenty of dust is 
 put in them. The nests are cleaned out well and fresh straw 
 put in them. This is done every month or so, and should be 
 watched closely in the fall of the year. 
 
 OCTOBER 
 
 October brings the fall rains. The litter is now brought 
 in and a liberal supply of straw placed on the floors. The 
 fowls are glad to seek shelter from the cold rains, and by 
 having a good supply of litter on the floor at this season of 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 
 
 67 
 
 -~\ 
 
 The above illustrates sliipping boxes. These are light and have sufficient strength to 
 stand considerable rough handling. They are described on another page. 
 
 the year, it is an easy matter to keep them active and busy 
 by feeding them grain in it. 
 
 In some sections the weather commences to become 
 chilly early, and October has placed her leaves on Summer's 
 grave. This will remind us that the good old summer has 
 passed and the cold blasts of winter are near. It is time that 
 
68 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 we are making preparations for winter. All the buildings 
 should be put in good repair for the rough weather to come. 
 
 NOVEMBER 
 
 In most sections November brings the cold rains and 
 rough weather, and in fact in some sections the winter is well 
 on the way. Many breeders are careless about their stock at 
 this season, and apparently do not take better care of their 
 birds than the farmer who allows them to seek shelter on the 
 south side of a barbed wire fence. The cockerels should be 
 placed in their winter quarters before the weather gets too 
 rough, but of course they can be allowed to run during the 
 fine days. The changes are sudden at this season of the year, 
 so it is a good plan to add a little tonic to their drinking 
 water. There are several good kinds on the market. 
 
 WINTER 
 
 The snow generally arrives before December is very old, 
 and it is time that the birds are now confined to their winter 
 quarters permanently. Fall sales have materially reduced 
 the surplus stock, so the winter quarters are not so badly 
 crowded as was anticipated. The early shows are now at 
 hand, and it is time the exhibition stock is conditioned for 
 the show room. 
 
 There is a great contrast in the work it takes to con- 
 dition different breeds. White fowls have to be washed, 
 which is a lot of work in contrast with the easy manner in 
 which a colored bird is prepared for exhibition. To condi- 
 tion them, all that is necessary is to wash off the feet and 
 shanks in water, sponge off the comb, face and wattles with 
 alcohol, and then apply a mixture composed of two parts of 
 alcohol, one part of glycerine, and three drops of sassafras 
 and five drops of sweet oil to each teaspoonful of mixture. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 69 
 
 This preparation may also be applied to the shanks after 
 bathing. 
 
 I will probably continue to exhibit my birds during 
 January. The sales have kept up and the surplus stock is 
 nearly sold off. However, orders are still coming in, but the 
 stock is reduced to about what will be wanted for the breed- 
 ing pens. 
 
 SPRING 
 
 In previous chapters I have pretty well outlined the 
 spring's work, geting the incubator started and "training up 
 the baby chicks in the way they should go." With the ap- 
 proach of summer it is very important to see that, even 
 though your venture is carried forward on a small lot, the 
 birds have plenty of fresh air and ventilation. Don't be 
 afraid about exposing them to summer drafts. By all means 
 protect them from the damp days of spring and summer and 
 every chill. But don't be overzealous and shut out fresh air 
 and abundant sunlight. Give them all the free range your 
 conditions will permit. 
 
70 
 
 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 CHAPTER XI 
 
 OPPORTUNITY IN POULTRY 
 
 THE CHICKEN INDUSTRY 
 
 HE hen has surely made wonderful strides 
 during the past few years. The value of the 
 products of the hen is greater than the value 
 of the entire wheat crop. In 1900 the 
 chicken industry started upward with leaps 
 and bounds, keeping up such a fast pace 
 that today it is only surpassed in value by 
 the corn, hay, and cotton. The Government 
 reports place the products of the hen at over one billion 
 dollars annually. The day is not far distant when the poul- 
 try industry will be a two billion dollar industry and will 
 lead the live stock and grain growing industries of the 
 country. 
 
 The ordinary prophet cannot tell with any degree of cer- 
 tainty what she will do in the future. There has never been 
 a time when the demand for fresh eggs and dressed poultry 
 was so great. When the price of fresh eggs goes up to sixty 
 or sixty-five cents a dozen, we wonder who will buy them. 
 But still they sell, and the demand is greater than the supply. 
 There seems to be a market in all the large cities for more 
 fresh eggs than can be obtained during the Winter months, 
 when the prices are the highest. There does not seem to be 
 any limit to the demand. Prices have increased about 50 per 
 cent during the past ten years. People are beginning to be- 
 lieve that it is better to eat more eggs, even at a high price, 
 than so much meat. There has never been such a demand for 
 pure bred stock and hatching eggs from standard bred poul- 
 try as at the present time. The prices that good birds bring 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 71 
 
 are simply wonderful. It is not an uncommon thing for a 
 good specimen to sell for one hundred dollars. There was 
 a time when a setting of eggs at one dollar was considered 
 high. Now it is an easy matter to find many breeders charg- 
 ing a dollar for a single egg, or fifteen dollars per setting. 
 They not only ask this price but get it, and the purchasers 
 are satisfied that they are getting value for their money. 
 There are a number of breeders who are getting from two to 
 five dollars each for their best eggs. They are giving many 
 years of expert breeding in these eggs, and as a rule the 
 buyer feels that he is geting all he pays for. 
 
 GOOD TIME TO GET INTERESTED IN POULTRY 
 
 It is good time for every person interested in poultry to 
 get busy. If you have a place where you can keep a few 
 fowls, make ready for them and invest in a trio or pen of a 
 good breed. From such a start quite a nice lot of well-bred 
 birds can be obtained by another year. Considering the de- 
 mand for Standard bred birds, it would be well to get some- 
 thing good in quality. It is not necessary to pay such a big 
 price, if they are bought from a reputable breeder and he 
 knows what is wanted and how much is to be invested. If 
 he cannot fill the bill he will say so. 
 
 From this start a good-sized flock will be raised and be 
 ready for business in another year; then hatching eggs and 
 probably a few baby chicks, if you have incubators in which 
 to hatch them, can be supplied to buyers. There are always 
 people in every community who want a few settings of eggs 
 or some baby chicks of some good breed, and with a good 
 breed some business can be done without much advertising. 
 Of course, it will be found that it pays to advertise ; and the 
 longer you are in the business, the more this will be appre- 
 ciated. With this start you are now in a position to advance, 
 
12 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 since the first efforts have been successful, and it is reason- 
 able to suppose that a much larger business could be handled 
 successfully. 
 
 Fresh eggs and broilers can be supplied the market, or a 
 business can be made of supplying the demand for baby 
 chicks in the vicinity; or one could branch out, advertise 
 more, send day-old chicks and hatching eggs throughout the 
 country, and develop a business on pure bred stock by selling 
 them in trios, pens, etc. After one breed has been handled 
 a while, proficiency in judging the merits of the breed will 
 come. Because of this, you are in a position to select the 
 best of your stock to fill orders, to make up breeding pens, 
 or fit the birds for the show room. Here a reputation may 
 be gained that will put you among the foremost breeders of 
 your variety. This cannot be done in a day, but persistent 
 efforts are sure to bring their rewards. There is a mighty 
 advertising influence gained by the winning of the blue rib- 
 bons. Some breeders have been so fortunate in the show 
 room in winning so many prizes that very little advertising 
 was necessary to sell all their stock. 
 
 POSSIBILITIES OF THE HEN 
 
 The hen has possibilities, for you never know where she 
 will lead you. One thing is certain, and that is hard work, 
 carefulness, and caution are bound to succeed. I know of 
 one man in particular who started on a small scale, but who 
 has succeeded year by year until at present he has a fine plant 
 and is doing a nice business. In fact, I am acquainted with 
 several men who have started in a small way, and who by 
 their careful and industrious habits have built large chicken 
 farms from a very small start. Put the hen against time and 
 labor and she will never fail. Stick to the hen, and work and 
 care will be crowned with success. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 73 
 
 For twenty long years I traveled for a large wholesale 
 manufacturing company and am now delighted to say that 
 I am enjoying a much larger income and taking life easier. 
 Although I am just as busy as ever, I am enjoying all the 
 freedom the world affords. In place of being bound by the 
 obligations an employee owes to his employer, who pays for 
 his time and efforts, I feel free to go and come as my 
 pleasure dictates. I do not wish to infer that the average 
 employee is a slave bound by harsh ties. Not so. My em- 
 ployers were very courteous and generous, and were men of 
 splendid character. 
 
 I will venture to say that your employer is equally good 
 to you if you are trying to be fair with him. I have nothing 
 to say against the employee who is doings his duty in an 
 honorable avocation. I say, "Stand by your employer and 
 give him your best efforts, and remember, you will never re- 
 ceive a good salary until you earn it." In case your salary 
 is not large enough to supply the comforts you desire for 
 your family, don't become discouraged. "Hope springs eter- 
 nal in the human breast." I am sure that my experience may 
 be an object lesson to you. I would not advise you to resign 
 your position and expect to get rich by keeping a few hens. 
 I would suggest that you start in a small way. Buy the best 
 stock or eggs you can afford. Don't try to succeed by buying 
 a five-dollar trio and putting them into an expensive pen. 
 Better buy good stock — if you have to keep them in a piano 
 box for the first year. 
 
 POULTRY BUSINESS OFFERS GRAND 
 OPPORTUNITIES 
 
 After you get started it is an easy matter to improve 
 your buildings and add to them as your business grows. I 
 believe there is no business under the sun that offers such 
 
74 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 grand opportunities as the poultry business. Many a man 
 packs his belongings and travels far away looking for oppor- 
 tunity when there are golden opportunities rapping at his 
 door. I know of no business that pays as large dividends on 
 the capital invested as the chicken business. It affords the 
 busy city man much recreation after his hard day's work is 
 over in the shop or office. It gives profitable employment to 
 the man whose health is impaired and who is not fit for 
 strenuous life that he was accustomed to in his younger days. 
 Many a good housewife has found the chicken business a 
 great help in assisting her invalid husband in making a 
 living. Many a mortgage has been paid off a home by the 
 husband raising chickens before and after working hours and 
 at the same time enjoying pleasant recreation. 
 
 PEPFUL POULTRY FOR PALE PEOPLE 
 
 For the period of the war, and especially these present 
 months of reconstruction during which I am writing, men 
 and women have been working under a severe tension. How 
 many of your friends are bordering on a nervous breakdown? 
 It has been astonishing to me to find how many men and 
 women have been burning the candle at both ends — partly 
 because of their splendid patriotism, to be sure — but also in 
 part due to their negligence of sufficient sunshine, fresh air 
 and exercise — the same identical qualities which are so neces- 
 sary in producing vital, profitable poultry. 
 
 I believe that there is a definite movement on the part 
 of thousands of men and women who have been spreading 
 themselves too thin, to seek some interesting and yet profit- 
 able outdoor diversion — and it is quite natural that a great 
 many of these people should investigate and accept the rais- 
 ing of poultry as one practical solution of that very impor- 
 tant problem. 
 
ON A TOWN LOT 75 
 
 SAVING ON THE COST OF LIVING 
 
 I have had literally thousands of letters from families, 
 dotted here and there over the entire North American con- 
 tinent, telling me that with the aid of a few good laying hens, 
 they have helped keep down the cost of living and had more 
 than the average laboring man's family (for example) can 
 boast in the way of an abundance of healthy food. 
 
 For the little folks there is just as much fun raising a 
 few lively chickens, as there is managing a "herd" of rabbits. 
 But most boys and girls prefer the beauty of thoroughbred 
 poultry to any animal pets, besides they don't require so 
 much work and they produce a return in the form of eggs, 
 nearly every day. From an educational standpoint, they are 
 more valuable to the children then other pets, because they 
 combine profit with pleasure. 
 
 BEGIN NOW! 
 
 Any time but "too late" is a good time to start keeping 
 poultry, because if they are looked after with ordinary com- 
 mon sense, they will absolutely help to keep you. 
 
76 
 
 $4223.00 PROFIT IN ONE YEAR 
 
 ^%*x& °\ 
 
 "A LITTLE JOURNEY AMONG ANCONAS" 
 
 There has been a considerable and growing demand for a complete 
 book on Anconas. A book that goes back to the Origin (so far as can 
 be determined) of these birds, traces their history, characteristics, ha- 
 bits and lays bare the expert observations of people who have studied 
 poultry for years and made profit from them. 
 
 Such a book has been written— some of my friends who have looked over 
 the manuscript tell me "as interestingly as a good novel" — it has been 
 published with many illustrations (both photographic and with accurate 
 sketches) and is now ready for distribution. 
 
 It is complete and technical in its fact value but written so as to be 
 readily comprehended by the student. $1.00 post paid. Special prices on 
 class room quantities. 
 
 H. CECIL SHEPPARD 
 
 Berea, Ohio. 
 
LIBRARY OF CONGRESS 
 
 002 851 193 
 
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