42 FIRST LESSONS IN POULTRY KEEPING. 



sit. Such cases do occur, but ihe most common cause of chilled eggs is two hens taking the 

 same nest, and leaving a nest uncovered. In freezing weather an hour is about the limit of time 

 that eggs under ordinary conditions can be uncovered and etill hatch. In warm weather they 

 may be uncovered for several hours, or even all day without injury. 



When the Chicks are Hatching. 



After the eggs begin to pip, hens should not be disturbed more than is necessary. It is 

 quite necessary, however, to look under the bens occasionally to see that everything is right. 

 Some bens become very nervous at this time, move about and break the eggs. Such hens 

 should be removed if possible and quieter hens that have eggs not far advanced exchanged for 

 them. By shifting hens in this way when necessary, much of the loss common at this stage 

 is saved. ^ 



It is at this time that a badly formed nest causes most trouble. If the nest is too dishing, the 

 eggs tend to roll to the center, and crush in the shells of picked eggs, and often crush chicks as 

 soon as out of the shell. 



There are also some hens that will kill their chicks as hatched. One must watch for these, 

 exchange them for others, and, of course, take them out of the sitters' pens as soon as their 

 services can be dispensed with. 



If, as sometimes happens, a part of the eggs in each nest hatch a day or so ahead of the 

 others, it is a good plan to give some of the hens the chicks, and others the eggs yet to hatch. 

 This gives much better chance of good chicks from the last eggs. 



As a general rule, eggs that have not hatched by the morning of the twenty-second day, will 

 not, even if they do hatch after that, produce chicks worth keeping. 



Many people consider it an indication of exceptional vitality to have chicks come out in 

 nineteen days, but I think most close observers will agree that the chick that takes twenty to 

 twenty-one days to develop makes the best chick. 



Helping Chicks Out of the Shell. 



As a rule, it is best to let chicks get out by themselves. The chick that needs help is not 

 often good enough to make it worth while to fuss with it. 



