A SELF-SUPPORTING HOME 



the dredge. When it has been well rubbed 

 in, gather her up in your hands in the same 

 position as when you took her from the 

 nest, and hold her until she is quiet again. 

 Then place her over the nest and free your 

 fingers from her claws, letting her feel the 

 eggs, releasing her gradually as you feel her 

 settle down on the nest. 



All this handling must be accomplished 

 as nearly as possible in the dark, and as it 

 is not always convenient to do it during the 

 short time of dusk, a lantern must be fixed 

 up for night work; paint all but a strip of 

 the glass with black paint. 



As the moving and powdering are likely to 

 make the hen restless, three or four china nest- 

 eggs are put into the nest at first ; then, when 

 she has settled down to business, it is an easy 

 matter the next evening to change the dummies 

 and slip real eggs under her. The ordinary 

 sitting of hens' eggs is thirteen in number, but 

 a large hen can safely be given fifteen, espe- 

 cially as the weather becomes warmer. 



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