THE SELECTION OF BROODY HENS 



for, especially on the under parts of the body, and the feathers 

 should be parted to see that the birds are free from this infes- 

 tation. A lousy broody hen will soon infect the brood, and 

 they will never thrive like they ought to do, as the poultry 

 louse causes a lot of irritation. 



Tuberculosis is a wasting disease, and when fowls are 

 affected with it, they are generally very poor, feel light when 

 handled, and are lacking in vigour, their wings droop, and 

 they seem to hang about in an aimless sort of manner. 



With reference to enteric, the game-rearer will almost 

 have to take his chance, as there is no method that can assure 

 him against the introduction of this deadly trouble, which is, 

 as every Pheasant-rearer knows, the most dreaded scourge, 

 or at any rate, this, and another trouble — gapes. 



If fowls are selected where they have unlimited grass 

 runs, the risk of introducing enteric is greatly minimised ; 

 therefore, avoid selecting fowls where they are kept in a 

 dirty condition, with little freedom. 



It is sometimes a difficult matter to ascertain whether 

 a hen really is broody, but the best means of doing so is to 

 go into the poultry house after the birds have gone to roost 

 and had time to settle down. A hen that is sitting on her 

 nest, at what may not inaptly be termed a late sitting, will 

 usually be found broody, but the author advises that all 

 selected hens should be carefully examined in a strong light 

 during the day-time, in order to see that they are perfectly 

 healthy. 



Do not have anything to do with birds that are moulting, 

 as they are totally unsuitable for hatching purposes. In the 

 introduction of the broody hen to the nest, she should be put 

 in the hatching-house, where she can see the eggs, along 

 with some food and water, and she will soon accommodate by 

 sitting on the eggs. The best place for the nest-boxes is 



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