BREEDING AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT 6i 



will be constrained to sit in one position, but when it is 

 not so, she frequently reverses her position, and each 

 time she does so the eggs will be turned. For this reason 

 many fanciers tack a sheet of strong brown paper or a 

 piece of cardboard on the end of the cage facing the 

 nest pan so as to shelter the hen, not only from the Ught, 

 but from the observation of everyone who may enter 

 the room. 



A lack of moisture in the atmosphere may be countered 

 by giving the hen a bath every day, and also by sprinkhng 

 the nest with a little warm water morning and evening 

 for the last three or four days of the incubatory period. 

 Some fanciers dip the eggs in the warm water as well. 



It is an estabhshed fact that in a season when dry 

 easterly or north-easterly winds are prevalent, that there 

 are many more cases of young dead in shell than in a 

 season when the atmosphere is damp and humid. Hence 

 the reason for sprinkling the nest and dipping the eggs. 

 In dry seasons the inner skin or membrane covering the 

 chick in the shell becomes hard, dry, and tough and the 

 young are not able to break through, when chipping time 

 comes. Again, when this membrane becomes shrivelled 

 and tough if often adheres to the head of the chick, and 

 so closely does it stick that the chick is unable to turn 

 its head to perform the operation of chipping the shell. 

 I have frequently found the head and shoulders of the 

 chick fastened together in this manner not only with 

 canaries but also with poultry and with pigeons. At 

 times one finds head, neck and wings all fastened up 

 together so that the youngster is absolutely prevented from 

 turning in the shell. Prevention being at all times better 

 than cure, I strongly advise all breeders to sprinkle the 

 eggs in the manner described. 



Eggs Broken in The Nest. 



When eggs are broken in the nest, the owner is generally 

 more to blame than the birds. Long claws, and dirty 

 claws are usually the causes of broken eggs. All breeding 

 birds should have their claws cut when they are paired up, 

 and also at any time during the season when they show 

 signs of needing it. Some birds' claws grow much 



