248 



THE SMALL COUNTRY PLACE 



RAISING CHICKENS. 



For the most profit in this work one must make a 

 start early "in the season. A warm house or open cellar 

 is a necessity. Eggs must be set under hens or put into 

 the incubator in March or earlier, and to produce fertile 

 eggs, which is the chief difficulty at this season of the 

 year, the hens must have a great variety of food and 



be allowed to run outside 



whenever the weather is 

 favorable. 



It is difficult to find 

 hens that want to set at 

 this time, but with the in- 

 cubator (Fig. 84) one is 

 more or less independent 

 of this condition. 



If hens are used, they 

 should be set in a room or 

 space where other hens 

 will not interfere with 

 them. A large number 



may be kept in one room 



FIG. 84 A Model Incubator ; One of 

 the Necessities for Profitable Poul- 

 try Raising. 



if each has a separate box that may be kept closed 

 except at such times as they are to be let out for 

 water and feed. An old strawberry crate makes 

 a good box for the nest. As soon as the eggs begin 

 to hatch the chicks should be removed from each 

 hen and taken to some place beyond the hearing of 

 the other setting hens. A large number may be given 

 to the hens which are to take care of them (twenty 

 or even thirty chicks may be taken care of by one 

 hen if in a warm and roomy place), or the chickens 

 may be placed in brooders (Fig. 85) in which artificial 

 heat is supplied by a lamp or in large brooder heated by 



