344 POULTRY MANAGEMENT. 



in an old nest, as it is usually infested with vermin. It is 

 easier to prevent the chicks from being infested with mites 

 than it is to cure them. It is well to place under the hen 

 for the first few hours some china eggs in order to find out 

 if she is going to be a good sitter. Put a box over her for 

 the night. After twelve hours take these away and place 

 under her thirteen of the eggs from the breeding flock. See 

 that only uniformly large eggs are used for this purpose. 

 They give stronger and more vigorous chicks. Keep the hen 

 well supplied with food and fresh water. When the eggs have 

 been under the hen eight days they may be examined by 

 holding them up to the light of a house lamp. The infertile 

 eggs will at this time appear clear, while the fertile ones 

 will appear dark. If a number say three of the hens have 

 been set at the same time it may be that all the fertile eggs 

 can at the end of eight days be placed under two of the 

 hens. 



It is a difficult problem to get eggs suitable for hatching 

 during the winter months where hens have to be confined. 

 Where the breeding flock can have the run of a manure pile, 

 scratch about and have an abundance of out-of-door exercise, 

 much better results are obtained. When in confinement the 

 germ is usually so weak that it dies in the shell, or if a chick 

 hatches it is so weak that it has but a short lifetime. 



Pour cocks to a hundred hens when running loose together 

 will give a large percentage of fertile eggs. When the breed- 

 ing season is over the cocks should be separated from the 

 hens and put in their own enclosures and fed a diet of green 

 food, and a ration similar to that of the laying hen. His 

 quarters should always be warm enough so that there will be 

 no danger of his comb freezing. 



