46 



The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



ingress of fresh air through the shell, and thus invigorating the embryo chick. Every hen, 

 therefore, is to be taken off if she will not come, lifting her up gently by the wings, and taking 

 especial care that none of her eggs are tucked up by them and withdrawn along with her. 



•^^^^ 



Fig. 25. 



By far the most convenient nest for a sitting hen is that represented by Fig. 25. Each nest is 

 made separate, open at the bottom for placing on the ground, and with a hinged flap in front, 

 secured by any simple fastening. Holes three-quarters of an inch in diameter are bored near 

 the bottom, in the sides, and also in the top, for ventilation, and the flap can be held up by a 

 string and hook from any convenient point above, or be turned quite back. Such nests can be 

 placed anywhere, and perfectly confine the hen without any trouble, so that she will not even 

 try to come off till the flap is opened. Nests made in sets arc not nearly so good ; they cannot 

 be cleaned well till all the hatching is done, and generally they will only fit one spot, whereas 

 single nests made on this plan can be used in any way. 



The nest should always, if possible, be on the ground, a wooden bottom being not so good, 

 though chickens may be hatched in " high-level stations" if needful. The making up of the nest 

 will differ according to the season. Early in spring, when the weather is cold or wet, eggs are 

 easily chilled, and the nest should be prepared in a perfectly dry place, putting at the bottom 

 a large shovelful of fine dry ashes, over which a good thick bed of hay or straw is to be comfortably 

 arranged. The eggs at such times should not be damped at all, but four days before hatching 

 about a quart of boiling water should be poured close round the nest on the ground. This will 

 to some e.Ktent penetrate the ashes, and give just the dampness desirable. In wet weather even 

 this is better undone ; and in a severe winter every care will be needed to prevent the best eggs in 

 the world being addled ; twenty minutes' absence of the hen will do the mischief during intense 

 frost, unless the nest is in a warm or very sheltered situation. In warm and dry weather, on 

 the contrary, a damp and cool situation should be chosen, or means taken to make the nest so ; 

 otherwise the moisture of the eggs will be all evaporated to the consistency of glue, and the 

 chickens, being unable to move round so as to crack the shell in half, will perish unless assisted. 

 In nature the hen always seeks a damp, cool nest ; and not only so, but her breast becomes 

 saturated by the wet grass .in which she feeds, and the eggs are thus moistened on , her return. 

 Attempting, then, to keep nest antl eggs dry, however useful in winter, in summer loses many 



