You'll Make More Money With Hens Than Raising Tobacco or Cotton, Says N.C. Farmer, 1938

“The Editor Speaks” from the February 1938 issue of Carolina Co-operator

Money In Chicks

An interesting contribution came in the day’s mail from Jimmy Spiers, owner of Madoc Poultry Farm near Tarboro and one of the South’s leading poultrymen.

“What Shall It Be—Hens, Tobacco, or Cotton?” asks Jimmy, and then he proceeds to give us the following interesting comparison which should help us North Carolina farmers to make up our collective minds. We quote:

One hen lays 150 eggs. One egg sells for 1 ½ cents. 150 eggs sell for $2.25. 400 hens on one acre yield $900.

One acre tobacco yields 1,000 pounds. One pound sells for 25 cents. 1,000 pounds sells for $250.

One acre cotton yields 500 pounds. One pound sells for 10 cents. 500 pounds sells for $50.

“If you must plant a money crop,” adds Jimmy, “why not the hen crop, which is edible. Eggs and chickens are good to taste and very nourishing, and an excellent money crop to boot.”

To this contribution, there is little we can add except to urge our farmers to start off in their poultry venture with good chicks—U.S. Approved chicks or better. Any FCX warehouse will supply your needs.