209 



CROSSES. 



Plymouth Rock, with White Leghorns. . . 



Black Java, with mixed hens 



B. B. R. G., with White Plymouth Rock 



Mar. 27 



April 7 



do 28 



Later in the season the mixed pen was broken up, owing to the death of the 

 Black Java cock. 



The table below will show the number of eggs given to hens and the chickens 

 ha+.ched: — 



NUMBER OF CHICKENS HATCHED. 



When Eggs 

 were set. 



1890. 



Mar. 29. 

 April 5 . 

 do 5. 

 do 16. 

 do 22. 

 do 23. 

 do 25. 

 do 28. 

 1. 

 3. 

 7. 

 7. 

 7. 

 7. 

 12. 

 16. 

 30 



May 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 



do 

 June ]3 



do 17 

 July 9 



do 19 



Number 



of 

 Eggs set. 



6 

 9 

 9 

 9 

 13 

 11 

 13 

 13 

 15 

 11 

 13 

 13 

 11 

 11 

 11 

 11 

 13 

 13 

 13 

 13 

 13 



Description of Eggs. 



Plymouth Rocks , 



4 White Leghorns, 5 Houdans .' 



4 do 5 do 



4 White P. R., 5 B. Minorcas 



Plymouth Rocks ... 



do 



Langshans, purchased in Ottawa 



do do 



8 Buffs, 7 Wyandottes 



Plymouth Rocks 



Black Minorcas (From London, Ont, 



7 do 6 Brahmas do 



7 do 4 do do 



Brahmas do 



7 do 4 Wyandottes . . 



5 White Leghorns, 3 Plymouth Rocks 



Plymouth Rocks 



B. B. R. Game 



Buff Cochins (Imported. Eggs shaken) . . 



Plymouth Rocks 



7 White Leghorns, 6 Game Crosses 



Number 



of Chickens 



hatched. 



3 



6 

 6 

 3 



8 



10 



12 



10 



10 



8 



10 



10 



9 



8 



7 



8 



11 



9 



5 



12 



7 



172 



When 



Chicks were 

 hatched. 



.April 19 



. do 26 



. do 26 



.May 7 



. do 13 



. do 14 



. do 16 



. do 18 



. do 22 



. do 24 



. do 28 



. do 28 



. do 28 



do 28 



.June 2 



. do G 



. do 20 



. do 20 



.July 4 



. do 30 



.Aug. 9 



HOW THE SITTING HENS WERE MANAGED. 



As in previous years care was taken to rid the sitting hens of lice by dusting 

 their bodies and the nests well with carbolic powder. China eggs were placed in 

 the nests and the broody hen allowed to sit on them for two days. The imitation 

 eggs were then taken away and the genuine placed in their stead. It is of the 

 utmost importance that the sitting hen should be rid of all vermin before the eggs 

 to hatch, often of great value, are given to her. When the sitter is not so rid of 

 lice she is apt to leave the nest for long periods and frequently will not return to it. 

 "When a hen is noticed standing on the nest, as if in distress and loath to sit on the 

 eggs, the trouble is caused by lice. The heat of the embryo in the shell 

 and the high temperatui-e of the hen's body, tend to make the parasites so 

 active as to become unbearable. As before said, although against the natural 

 instinct, some hens leave their nest and the hatch is lost. During last summer a 

 visiting farmer said: "I have not got a chicken this year. What was the matter 

 with my hens? They all left their nests," He was informed of the reason, and 

 although surprised that the cause was so easy to find, remarked that it was worth 

 the price of the journey to get the information. As a matter of fact, a great many 

 of the so-called diseases of poultry may be traced to the presence of lice. 



6c— 14 



