HATCHING OUT AND INCUBATORS. 43 



it contains illustrations of Mr Home's coops and runs 

 and various other useful particulars : 



" Keep the little ones entirely confined to the coop 

 and run for the first three or four days, because they 

 do not understand the hen's call, and were they to be 

 let out would stray away. Whilst confined to the 

 coop, put a fresh turf of clover into it, this they enjoy 

 pecking at, and a little of their food may be dropped 

 on it, so teaching them to search for it. At the end 

 of a day or two withdraw the run about two inches 

 from the front of the coop ; the little fellows soon 

 slip out and begin to search for insects and then 

 scuttle back under the hen. After a time they make 

 longer voyages, hunting every leaf for insects y &c. 

 If the weather is very wet and stormy, as is frequently 

 the case in April and May, and the birds are of a very 

 valuable variety, I use runs made like miniature 

 cucumber lights, save that the glass is hung on a 

 hinge at the top of the frame instead of sliding ; by 

 this plan the birds get the benefit of any gleam of 

 sunshine, and are protected from storms. At night 

 for the first three days drop a board in front of the 

 coop between it and the run, to shut them in, or they 

 are liable to stray into the run in the early morning 

 and get cold and cramp. 



" All this extra care is only needed for a day or 

 two ; after that, let out all the birds at daylight, and 

 feed them, and continue to do so all the summer ; 

 each night putting the second or reserve bottom board 



