METHODS OF HATCHING CHICKENS 



295 



END VIEW 



other vermin and the ground is not too damp, the floor may 

 be dispensed with. The 

 roof is likewise separate. 

 This makes it more con- 

 venient to catch the hen 

 or the chicks. The roof 

 is made of flooring and 

 the sides of shiplap. To 

 prevent rain beating in- 

 to the coop and also to 

 protect from the sun in 

 hot weather, a shield is 

 provided, hanging a t 

 different angles. When 

 not in use this shield is 

 pushed back under the 

 roof. To keep the shield 

 from falling down when 

 it is pulled out, two 

 pieces of strap iron, 

 with proper bent, are 

 fastened to the board. 

 For further details, see 

 working plan, this page. 

 Points on Setting a 

 Hen. The best sitters 

 are the breeds of the 

 American and Asiatic 

 classes. The Mediterraneans, such as Leghorn, Minorca, 

 Andalusian, are not good sitters. Hens of gentle dis- 

 position should be chosen if possible. The normal tem- 

 perature of the hen's body is about 106 degrees. One 

 good broody hen will take care of twenty chicks. An- 

 other advantage of setting several hens at a time is that 



PLAN OF HEN BROOD COOP 



