322 NATURAL INCUBATION AND BROODING 



Care at Hatching Time. As hatching time approaches the 

 hen sits very close to the nest, and often refuses to come off to 

 eat. This is natural, as a high temperature is now necessary. She 

 should be kept in the nest, for many hens at this time become 

 nervous, and try to leave it after a few chicks are hatched. The 

 nest should be so prepared that the chicks, as they hatch, cannot 

 get away from the hen and fall out of it. It is well to feel under 

 the hen occasionally, and remove any shells or weak and crushed 

 chick, but normal chicks should not be taken away from the hen 

 until they are twenty-four to thirty-six hours old, or until the hen 

 of her own will takes the flock out in search of feed. 



Causes of a Poor Hatch. The causes of a poor hatch with the 

 natural method when known can easily be guarded against. They 

 are: (1) Poor sitters; (2) poor eggs; (3) the presence of vermin; 

 (4) improper management. These are all equally important, and 

 a successful hatch depends upon attention to all, from the fact 

 that neglect of any one means almost certain failure. 



Pedigreeing. It is often desirable to keep a record of the 

 new chicks; it may be merely for the time of hatching or more 

 detailed information as to parent stock. To mark the chicks per- 

 manently and without injury, the poultryman uses one of two 

 methods, toe punching and leg banding. The system of toe punch- 

 ing allows of sixteen different numbers. These are shown in figure 

 152. If the marks are carefully made, this method will answer 

 very well. It is more quickly done than leg banding and does not 



i 



FIG. 153. A good, yet simple, leg band for chicks. 



necessitate much clerical work ; but, if not properly done, toe mark- 

 ings are apt to be grown over or the web to be torn. With leg bands 

 (Fig. 153) accurate and full records must be kept, which means 

 considerable expense in time and material ; but, where superiority 

 through breeding is desired, this money and time are well spent. 



NATURAL BROODING. 



In the rearing of chicks with the hen, one of the first essentials 

 is a suitable brooder coop, which should be designed as follows: 

 It should be light and portable. It must allow the chicks to have 



