The experience just related did not prove disastrous from some single item of ignorance or oversight; the difficulty was that the cost of growing and marketing the product amounted to more than the receipts from its sale.  This poultry farm, like the surgeon’s operation, “was successful, but the patient died.”

The writer’s belief in the reality of the situation as above portrayed warrants him in publishing the present volume.  Whether his criticism of poultry literature is founded on fact or fancy may, five years after the copyright date of this book, be told by any unbiased observer.

I have written this book for the purpose of assisting in placing the poultry business on a sound scientific and economic basis.  The book does not pretend to be a complete encyclopedia of information concerning poultry, but treats only of those phases of poultry production and marketing upon which the financial success of the business depends.

The reader who is looking for information concerning fancy breeds, poultry shows, patent processes, patent foods, or patent methods, will be disappointed, for the object of this book is to help the poultryman to make money, not to spend it.

HOW TO READ THIS BOOK

Unless the reader has picked up this volume out of idle curiosity, he will be one of the following individuals: 

1.  A farmer or would-be farmer, who is interested in poultry production as a portion of the work of general farming.

2.  A poultryman or would-be poultryman, who wishes to make a business of producing poultry or eggs for sale as a food product or as breeding stock.

3.  A person interested in poultry as a diversion and who enjoys losing a dollar on his chickens almost as well as earning one.

4.  A man interested in poultry in the capacity of an editor, teacher or some one engaged as a manufacturer or dealer in merchandise the sale of which is dependent upon the welfare of the poultry industry.

To the reader of the fourth class I have no suggestions to make save such as he will find in the suggestions made to others.

To the reader of the third class I wish to say that if you are a shoe salesman, who has spent your evenings in a Brooklyn flat, drawing up plans for a poultry plant, I have only to apologize for any interference that this book may cause with your highly fascinating amusement.

To the poultryman already in the business, or to the man who is planning to engage in the business for reasons equivalent to those which would justify his entering other occupations of the semi-technical class, such as dairying, fruit growing or the manufacture of washing machines, I wish to say it is for you that “The Dollar Hen” is primarily written.