The Essentials of Poultry Raising 87 



of good temper. To determine if a hen is ready to set, place 

 the hand under her; if she nestles over your hand,' she is likely 

 to make a good sitter and mother. A pullet does not usually 

 make a good mother. 



206. Sign of a Sitting Hen. ^^'^hen a hen becomes broody, 

 she will be noted to stay on the nest longer than usual and in 

 a day or two will remain on the nest all the time. She will now 

 ruffle her neck feathers and cluck if disturbed. 



207. Structure of the Egg. If an egg is boiled its structure 

 can be studied. The parts from the outside inward are as fol- 

 lows', lime shell,- outer and inner membranes, albumin, and yolk. 

 The outer and inner membranes separate at the large end, form- 

 ing an air cell. Two hard masses or shreds of albumin, called 

 chalazae, are formed at the poles of the tgg in the albumin. The 

 yolk is surrounded by a delicate membrane. On the top of the 

 yolk there is located the germ called the blastoderm. When 

 an tgg is laid, the yolk is nearly in the center of the mass of 

 albumin. The yolk gradually becomes more superficial, until 

 after a week there is only a thin layer of albumin between the 

 yolk and the shell membranes. There is always a layer of 

 albumin between the yolk and shell up to the twenty-first day. 



208. How the Egg Is Formed. The yolk is formed in the 

 ovary. The rest of the egg is formed in the oviduct or egg 

 canal, which is eighteen to twenty inches long. In the first 

 portion the albumin or white of the &gg is formed ; in a follow- 

 ing portion the shell membranes are formed ; and in a part still 

 farther along the shell is formed ; then finally the color is fixed. 



209. When to Candle Incubating Eggs. It is best to set six 

 hens at one time. Candle the white eggs on the fifth day and 

 the brown eggs on the seventh day. If the egg is infertile it 

 will be clear. These eggs are good for food and can be used 

 on the home table, but should not be sold, since the shaking 

 they must undergo in hauling will addle many of them. If they 

 are not wanted for table use, keep them and later boil them 



