74 A GAMEKEEPER'S NOTE-BOOK 



her, and she cannot be relied upon to return to her 

 own nest after going off to feed. And if she may 

 leave the nest at her own free will she is liable to sit 

 too long without a break. Her eggs in that case do 

 not have enough fresh air, and the heat of the hen 

 diminishes through want of food, so that weak chicks 

 develop, and may fail even to break their shells. So 

 the keeper is obliged to provide a suitable nest, and 

 to try to induce the broody hen to take to it kindly. 

 He finds that an empty cheese-box with a lid will 

 make a capital nesting-box for occasional use. If 

 rats are feared, he encases the box in an armour of 

 wire-netting. Then within he fashions a shallow 

 nest, using firm mould, and adding a little bruised 

 straw ; if the hollow is too deep the eggs may be 

 piled on each other, and the hen cannot plant her feet 

 comfortably or sit evenly over the eggs. The hollow 

 is lined with a ring or collar of twisted straw, to 

 retain the warmth of the hen, and prevent her eggs 

 falling out when she moves her feet to turn round. 

 Then the keeper goes off for the broody hen, which he 

 carries in a sack of open texture. Whether or not a 

 hen is really broody may be determined most easily 

 at night. A hen chosen by day, though she imitates 

 the broody plaint, may be intent only on laying eggs 

 not on sitting. But the hens who are in earnest 

 will be found in the nests after dark ; and they are 

 known by their dull combs. Into the sitting-box 

 the keeper shuts the hen of his choice, leaving her 

 with a nest-egg or two by way of encouragement. 



