100 



especially is this with ducklings. When eggs for hatching come from 

 a distance or have experienced a rough journey, it is advisable to let 

 them stand on the large end for twelve hours before putting them 

 under the hen. 



HATCHING AND THE MANAGEMENT OF SETTING HENS. 



•• For this purpose pick out eggs of uniform size, none abnormally 

 large or small : and never, if possible, set an egg with a very thin or 

 defective shell. 



" Having picked out the eggs for setting, see that they are per- 

 fectly clean. A dirty egg will not hatch a healthy chicken; If very 

 dirty it will go bad. A greasy egg will not hatch either, or one, the 

 pores of which have been filled up in any way whatever, which conclu- 

 clusively proves that the pores have a function to perform towards the 

 growing germ within the egg. If it is at all possible, let the hen set in 

 the nest she has been accustomed to lav in. She will set better there 

 than elsewhere, and be no trouble at all, because she can be left to 

 come off and on for food and water at her own pleasure. If it is not 

 possible, through other hens using the nest, to let her retain her old 

 nest, make her one close to it, and before entrusting her with the eggs, 

 get her accustomed to it, by giving her a couple of china or nest eggs 

 for tw r o or three days. Nests for hatching may be made in the grass, 

 an old stump, a hollow log, anywhere but in a house where for some 

 reason or other vermin breed quicker than anywhere. Setting hens 

 require very little food. This is accounted for, 1 think, by the fact 

 that hens are usually in the very best condition when they stop laying, 

 and in some mysterious way they live on their fat while setting and in 

 general it is best to let them come off when they please. 



" It is a mistake to give a hen too many eggs at a setting. A 

 small hen will cover nine to eleven ; a large hen from fifteen to 

 seventeen. If the nest is a strange one to her, put the hen on at 

 night and shut her in for the first day or two. It is useless to set 

 pullets or hens that are broody for the first time. When she is 

 eighteen months old is time enough to trust a hen with eggs. If 

 forced to use a young hen, let her set only half time, and get an older 

 hen to hatch the chickens. If an egg gets broken in the nest, and the 

 hen docs not remove it herself, do so for her, and wash all the eggs 

 that have the least bit of egg on them. A basin of warm water and 

 soap, — or even cold water will aot hurt them. — and it is quickly done. 

 The eggs nenl not be dried ; the water is good for them. In a very 

 dry season it is often a good plan to damp the eggs the la>t week. 

 whenever the hen is off. Duck-eggs require it more than hens' do, 

 unless ducks are on them, when they see to it themselves. The chickens 

 should make their appearance on or about the twenty-first day, but 

 much depends on the way the hen lias set. Very often she does not 

 settle properly on to the eggs the first two or three days. If the nest 

 is strange, too many eggs, or a very young hen, then the chickens may 

 not hatch till a few days later, and some may be much later than 

 others. When this is the case', the first Lot should be taken from the 

 nest and kept in a basket, in flannel, till all are out. If left they may 

 get trodden on , also, when two or three are out a good while before 

 the others, the hen may become restless and want to leave the nest 



