6 THE HOME POULTRY BOOr 
shells, they absorb the yolks of the eggs, which pro- 
vides them with an abundant supply of nourish- 
ment. Secured in this way, the chicks may be put 
under a broody hen at night or they may be raised in 
a brooder. This plan does away with all the work 
incidental to the care of sitting hens. Some ama- 
teurs find it desirable to hatch no chickens at all, 
but to renew their flock every year in this conven- 
ient manner. If it is too late to set eggs when 
the momentous decision to keep a few hens is finally 
made, this method of making a start is a very satis- 
factory short-cut. 
The one draw-back to the purchase of day-old 
chicks is the fact that the buyer generally knows lit- 
tle about the stock from which the birds come. He 
may have bought into a good-laying strain and again 
he may not. Likewise, if he finds pleasure only in 
birds which are well-marked, he is participating in 
a lottery when he secures his chickens in this way. 
Custom-hatching has come as the solution of this 
problem. The amateur gets his eggs from what- 
ever source he likes. They may come from his own 
flock or from that of a breeder known to have su- 
perior birds. The eggs are entrusted to the hatch- 
ery and the chicks turned over to the owner when 
