CHAPTER XIV. 



MANAGEMENT OF SITTERS. 



A special management of sitters in a mild climate, with 

 mechanical contrivances for minimizing labor, has already 

 been given, and we will now describe the management 

 of the incubating hens kept in the buildings represented 

 in Figs. 21 and 22, and adapted to cooler latitudes. 

 This building, like the one for the southwest, secures 

 plenty of room for the sitters to move about in when off 

 their nests. It cannot be too strongly insisted upon, 

 that it is natural for a sitting fowl to run about very 

 actively when she has left her nest. She will always 

 make the most vigorous use of her legs on such occa- 

 sions, when allowed full range. 



This extraordinary activity, in comparison with which 

 the movements of a laying fowl appear moderate and 

 sedate, keeps her in health and is particularly necessary 

 in order that the bowels shall remain in good condition. 

 Without a great deal of running hither and yon, your 

 sitting birds will be afflicted with spells of constipation 

 and looseness by turns, and will foul the nests, that is, 

 a considerable per cent of them will, not all, and make 

 so disgusting a mess that you will wish you had never 

 seen a sitting hen in your life. 



The management of sitters kept in quarters shown in 

 Fig. 22, will be understood by reference to Fig. 40, 

 which gives a nest rack viewed from the front, there 

 being three tiers of nests with an alighting board under 

 each tier. This rack may be seen in the center of Fig. 22. 

 The nests are guarded against the depredations of rats 



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