HATCHING AND BROODING WITH MOTHER HEN 45 



There are several so-called " natural " systems of 

 handling sitters, the gist of them being that the hens 

 are confined, together, in a system of nests built as a 

 series, yet each having its own little run, so that no hen 

 may be interfered with, and none can get on the wrong 

 nest, an unfortunate habit with some hens which is 

 responsible for a good percentage of lost " sittings " of 

 eggs. As the process of incubation must be practically 

 continuous, and at a sustained and even temperature, 

 the sitting hen must leave the nest but'briefly. Gener- 

 ally speaking, the eggs should not become so cold that 

 they feel cold to the touch. From the second to the 

 twelfth of the twenty-one days required, however, the 

 danger of a fatal outcome from too long cooling is con- 

 siderably greater than it is after the chick is well formed 

 in the egg, and generating animal heat. Near the end of 

 the period, I have known eggs to be left overnight by 

 the hen, and still hatch well. One does not care to 

 assume the risk voluntarily, however. 



One's " Jack-at-a-pinch " system may consist only of 

 the needed nests placed near enough together to be 

 handily cared for, in any vacant room ; or in a rough 

 shed under a spreading tree when it becomes warm. 

 The crucial point is that the hens shall be under such 

 control or surveillance that they shall not be able to 

 " mix those children up " to the extent of leaving any 

 without warmth, or to give a surplusage of two or more 

 mothers to one clutch of eggs while others chill. Neither 

 must they fight for place. 



Plain, nutritious feed and water and a bath are all the 

 sitter needs daily, except to see that she " stays put." 

 Whole corn and grass or clover are by far the best 



