1883.] POULTRY RAISING. ' 41 



chickens, it matters little which theory we hold; but for our con- 

 venience we will begin with the egg. 



When winter begins to give way to spring, which time varies 

 some six weeks, we make preparation for the hatching. The labor 

 and expense of trying to raise early chickens while the snow is on 

 the ground does not pay — we have tried it, and failed. In select- 

 ing the eggs we choose the larger and perfect ones, and gather two 

 or three times a day, and keep in a cool place. "We have found 

 that the fresher laid eggs hatch in the greater proportion ; but 

 have often kept them two weeks, or even three, and had good suc- 

 cess; but the chances are greatly in favor of those just laid. 

 When two or three hens are fully determined to sit, unless this 

 should occur too early in the season, the sitting-room is prepared 

 for their exclusive use by shutting out the other fowls, and putting 

 it into a perfectly clean "and orderly state ; it is emptied, swept, and 

 garnished. The floor is sprinkled with clean, dry earth, and cov- 

 ered with straw. The nests are made in movable boxes with soft 

 hay and placed on the floor in a close row around three sides of 

 the room. A little kerosene is poured from a can into each corner 

 of each box. This prevents any trouble with insects and does not 

 harm the eggs. The feeding-trough is placed through the middle 

 of the room, and is always supplied with corn. The drinking- 

 trough and the dusting-box on the unoccupied side of the room, 

 with a small box of gravel, complete the outfit. There the hens 

 stay till incubation is over, and sometimes fifteen hens live in peace 

 after a few days' quarreling at first. And this is just where the 

 trouble begins; but with proper care the loss from this source is 

 far less than the gain. 



In the early part of the season eleven eggs are enough for a 

 sitting, and thirteen later when the weather is warmer. The boxes 

 are marked with chalk — number one, two, three, etc., as the hens 

 are set; and this enables us to keep the record correctly in our book. 

 The hens are taken in just after dark, and if they have been properly 

 tamed and trained they will stay where they are put; and even if they 

 do conclude to exchange nests after a few hours, or a few days, it 

 will do no harm, as there are only enough nests with eggs to go 

 around, and so all are kept covered. But sometimes it happens 

 that an old hen will not go on at all unless she can have her choice. 

 We put her gently a few times where we want her, and if she will 

 not obey then we make the other hen give up her place. Some- 



