An average profit of 40 cents a month from a laying hen doesn’t sound very large. But 400 laying hens turning 40 cents apiece as clear profit into a farmer’s household, begins to sound like money. And it is no dream, for many farmers in Pasquotank County and northeastern North Carolina could do this very thing. It is being done on the Jennings Poultry Farm, five miles from this city, and the business is less than two years old.
There is no telling what the Jennings Poultry Farm will make for its owners within the next four or five years. The business is just in its experimental stage, and has not yet been thoroly worked out. But records have been made of the expenses and profits of one lot of 55 hens during January, a dull month, and these hens have turned in a profit of 40 cents apiece, besides feeding themselves and giving four roosters free board out of their earnings. They laid 1,063 eggs, which sold at an average price of 42 cents per dozen.
The Jennings Poultry Farm is jointly owned by J.F. Jennings of R.F.D. 1, and his son, Carlton Jennings of this city, the latter being manager. The business is an outgrowth of a small flock of birds, kept at first for home use. It might have been expanded at a much more rapid rate, and on a much larger scale, but the owners are making it pay its way as it goes.
Mr. Jennings specialized in single comb white leghorns and single comb Rhode Island Reds. He says these are the best laying strains and the best to raise. He has 400 hens in his yards, and all the necessary roosters. In his incubators he has 2,000 eggs setting, and expects to make six hatching this season, or a total of 12,000 eggs.
The main poultry building of the Jennings Farm is 16 feet wide and 100 feet long. It has a southern exposure, with a screened front, giving the hens plenty of sunlight and fresh air. The hens lay in darkened nests.
About four acres of land is kept growing with oats and other green stuff for the chickens to range on. Only a portion of the range is used at one time. As soon as one section shows signs of exhaustion, the chickens are moved on another section.
In preparation for the growth of the business a new building 20 feet wide and 300 feet long is being constructed. The farm has several small buildings used for hatching and brooder houses. Oil and coal heat are used to keep the young chicks warm. Oil is used to heat the incubators, it requiring about 10 gallons a week to keep 2,000 eggs warm.
The Jennings Poultry Farm is specializing in the shipment of eggs for setting purposes. It is shipping eggs all over the country, and guaranteeing 85 per cent of them to be fertile. A recent order from the Poultry Farm of Josiah Baum on Roanoke Island was for 1,000 setting eggs. The Jennings Farm ships baby chicks as well as eggs.
Beats General Farming
“Success with poultry depends first on getting strong, healthy, vigorous stock,” says Mr. Jennings. “to do this it is necessary to get only vigorous chicks and eggs that will hatch only vigorous chicks. Intelligent care and feeding is the next consideration.
“to get the greatest number of eggs at the lowest feed cost, the White leghorns meet this need as no other breeds can do. They not only lead in the number of eggs—the birds are large and the meat is white—factors which commend the top price on the market.
“For their excellent habit of winter laying, there is no better strain for general breeding purposes than Rhode Island Reds. This breed has become very popular for superior quality and beauty, and their heavy egg laying ability. They mature early, starting to lay when only five months old, and they make excellent mothers.
“It is not a difficult job to make money with poultry,” Mr. Jennings states. “Like everything else it requires attention. Good results can never be obtained if the keeper expects his fowls to raise themselves. While careful attention is necessary, the work is not hard, and the profits are steady, making a more desirable income than the proceeds from farm crops, so often dependent upon weather conditions and markets. The producer of good fowls and eggs can always find a good market. The main thing is keeping up quality.
From page 3 of The Independent, Elizabeth City, N.C., March 30, 1923
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