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CHAPTER V 



From the Commencement of Incubation to Pipping 



Spray the incubating coop or box, as the case may be, thoroughly 

 with any good coal tar dip, procurable at poultry dealers. On large farms 

 the coops are dipped in a tank of disinfectant, (Kreso dip Number 1, Parke 

 & Davis, being used on one farm at the ratio of one gallon to 150 coops). 

 Place the coop (New York type), on a well-drained piece of ground which 

 will afford exposure to both sun and shade. An orchard is usually a good 

 location. If a flat, treeless field is the only spot available, the front 

 should be placed so that it will be away from the sun the greater part of 

 the day, unless the weather is still cold. Bear in mind that fowl prefer 

 morning to afternoon sun. Be sure that the coop is so placed that water 

 will not drain into it. A little banking of earth around it will usually 

 prevent this. The coop located, the door should be put in place and the 

 roof arranged, as previously explained, so as to afford ventilation. The 

 wire run is next placed in front of the coop. Nesting boxes (Figure 6 of 

 preceding chapter) are placed indoors and should be located so as to pro- 

 tect the setting hens from draughts. The room containing them is usually 

 kept in semi-darkness. 



BUILDING THE NEST.— The next step is the building of the nest. 

 This has already been covered in the description of Figure 6, but requires 

 special explanation for Figure 5 (New York type). 



The first step is a slight hollowing of the earth by pounding. This 

 done, place the nesting frame about the space so treated, being sure that 

 the spot selected for the nest is farthest removed from the loose slat. 

 Next place fairly coarse straw within the frame, thus forming the base of 

 the nest. Shape this slightly and line it with soft hay or grass. The nest 

 should have a very slight incline toward the center. Eggs piled on top of 

 one another when the hen is taken off usually mean too deep a nest, in 

 which case it should be remade. A nest nearly flat makes easier for the 

 embryo chick its exit from the shell. It will be noted that this type of 

 nest is not in as close contact with the earth as that pictured in Figure 6. 

 Mr. Rogers, who employs it, thinks too close contact has a tendency to cause 

 diarrhoea in the setting hen. Eggs of any type of nest should be sprinkled 

 with tepid water in very dry weather and, where they are placed on the 

 ground, the earth immediately surrounding the nest may also be moistened. 



SELECTING EGGS FOR INCUBATION.— We will suppose that 

 our breeders' setting hens have been tried out on other eggs two or three 

 days, that they have been dusted, and that now the real business of 



