Pheasants Rearing by Hand. 31 



or three eggs over, they can, with advantage, be distributed 

 amongst the other nests, and the hen receive a fresh sitting. 

 One spare sitting to each five or six hens will in most 

 seasons be required, but pheasants' eggs show a much larger 

 percentage of unfertile ones in some seasons than in others. 



Before the last that is the twenty-fourth day arrives, 

 arrangements must be made to receive the newly hatched out 

 pheasant chicks, and a sufficiency of coops, appliances, and 

 foods provided, so that there is no overcrowding and star- 

 vation for the youngsters to battle with at this tender age. 

 During the time of sitting, and for twenty-four hours after 

 the twenty-four days of incubation, the hen must be abso- 

 lutely unmolested, except at feeding time. There is nothing 

 more unpractical, valueless, and productive of bad results 

 than to interfere with the hatching hen, and we once for all 

 affirm that if the would-be rearer of pheasants wishes to 

 succeed in his endeavours, he must leave his sitting hens to 

 incubate and hatch out their brood in their own natural way. 



When the hens are in hatching boxes, on the morning 

 of the twenty-fourth day some food may be placed in the 

 small runs attached to the nest places, so that as soon as the 

 chicks want to pick up a little provender they may be able to 

 do so. This first food must consist of custard, if the much- 

 to-be-desired supply of fresh so-called ants' eggs is not 

 forthcoming, but it is in this instance simply to be placed in 

 the runs for the chicks should they want it. 



After the twenty-four hours have fully elapsed, the hen and 

 brood must be removed to a coop. The form this should 

 take has been often discussed, but it seems to us that it 

 should meet several requirements. In the first place, it must 



