INCUBATION 



247 



FIG. 277. Turkey's nest in 

 cleft rock, covered with 

 loose boards for protection 



place it is better to let all out at the same 

 time, preferably late in the afternoon, and 

 as soon as they have had feed and drink, 

 return them at random to the nests. The 

 largest average hatches are obtained by not 

 letting hens return regularly to the same 

 nests. One reason for this is that hens dif- 

 fer in temperature, and some are so low in 

 temperature that, if they sit on the same 

 eggs continuously, they will hatch no chicks, 

 or weak chicks. It is possible also that some 

 hens do not move their eggs as much as nec- 

 essary. It has often 



FIG. 278. Turkey's nest 



with tent-shaped roof as 



protection 



been noted that hens that sit closely and are 



always quiet and in the same position on the 



nest do not bring off as good hatches as the 



more energetic and restless hens. 



While the hens are feeding, nests should 



be examined for broken or soiled eggs, and 



attention given to any that are not in order. 



Some poultrymen, hatching on a large scale, 



by natural methods, make banks of nests 



with an alley in the rear and with access to 



the nests from the back as well as from the 



front. When the hens are let off to feed, 

 the keeper closes the 



fronts of all the nests and, going into the 

 alley, can clean the nests, or give other at- 

 tention, without interfering with the hens or 

 being annoyed by them. 



Whatever arrangement or system of han- 

 dling sitting hens is used, they should be re- 

 leased to eat and drink at about the same 

 time each day, and at that time nests and 

 eggs soiled by broken eggs or by dung should 

 be cleaned, for there is nothing more detri- 

 mental to incubation than fouled eggs and 

 of goose in pasture nests. This trouble may be reduced to the 



