Biographies: Charlie Melton, 1951, Winn Parish, LA
Submitted by Greggory E. Davies, 120 Ted Price Lane, Winnfield, LA 71483
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From: June 28, 1951, Winn Parish Enterprise (Know Your Neighbor Column)

Charlie Meltons Build Good Fryer Business

Starting in the poultry business on a shoestring, "with both ends frazzled,"
Mr. and Mrs. Charlie Melton of Atlanta Road now have a thriving business with
2,000 chickens at present being raised for market.

When interviewed last week, Mr. Melton pointed to three poultry houses, one
sheltering 1,000 three-week old chicks, the other two with 500 each of 11-week
old fryers.  The chickens are usually marketed at 10 weeks but the last run
was held over due to Mr. Melton's regular buyer being supplied for that week.

Mr. Melton is a former timber man who was forced to quit the business due
to health reasons.  He has been "in and out" of the chicken business for the
past 10 years, and has been at his present location for the past four years. 
He rents the J. F. Lovell place just off the Atlanta-Winnfield blacktop.

Know-how and financial backing are two main requirements for starting in
poultry, Mr. Melton states, with experience and observation playing a large
role in keeping ahead.  Not doing so well the first try, the Meltons looked
around to see how other chicken raisers were doing it, and tried again.  They
are doing well enough at it now to be planning to enlarge their facilities.

One brooder house takes care of their chicks for the first three to five
weeks, after which time they are moved into two other houses until they are
10-11 weeks old.  The baby chicks are bought from the hatchery in lots of
1,000 and placed in the brooder house.  After each flock reaches the age to
put in the growing house, the brooder house is cleaned for another run.

Practically all the Melton chickens are sold in Alexandria.  The local demand
is comparatively small, although some folks do drop by for a fryer for
Sunday dinner at times.

The Meltons are one of the largest chicken raisers in the parish, others
being the Moore-Collins farm on Tullos road and the Parker farm near Dodson.
All of these are interested in chicken raising in Winn, and although they
haven't succeeded yet, are trying to get a "broiler district' here, for
providing a ready market for poultry.

The main problem in the business is marketing.  Mr. Melton trucks his chickens
to Alexandria to market each time a run is ready.

At present the Meltons are raising New Hampshire Reds.  They alternate breeds
from time to time, and state that for market, the Barred Rock, "old
Dominecker' sells quickest.