CHAPTER V. 



NATURAL INCUBATION 



Although, in our opinion, there is greater skill re- 

 quired in caring for the little chicks than in getting 

 them out well, a good deal of the success of the poultry 

 crop depends upon the management of the hens while 

 sitting. Those that steal their nests and follow their 

 own instincts do very well if they are not disturbed, but 

 frequently they get frightened or robbed, and the eggs 

 are lost. As a rule, it is better to have all the sitting 

 birds completely under your control, and make them 

 follow your will rather than their own instincts. With 

 a well-arranged poultry-house it takes but a little time 

 daily to have all the birds come off for food and exer- 

 cise. But without this we can manage to make the 

 sitters regular in their habits. The best plan, usually, 

 is to set the hens near together in a sheltered spot in 

 boxes or barrels that we can cover, and thus perfectly 

 protect them against enemies, and at the same time 

 compel them to sit until the box is uncovered. Wher- 

 ever they may lay, when they want to sit, remove them 

 to a shed in an inclosed yard, by night, and put them 

 securely upon a nest full of eggs. Every day about 

 twelve o'clock remove the covers, and carefully take the 

 hens from their nests for food and water. In pleasant 

 weather they take from half to three-quarters of an 

 hour to scratch in the dirt and take their dust-bath. 

 Most of them return to their nests voluntarily before 

 the time is up. Occasionally a bird will take to the 

 wrong nest. It takes but a few minutes to see every 

 bird in her place, and make her secure for the next 

 twenty-four hours. As the hatchirg-time approaches, 

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