222 POULTRY BREEDING 
dust or coal ashes, a box of grit and a box of charcoal. 
At a certain time each day put a vessel of fresh water in 
the room and turn each nest with the opening toward the 
inside of the room so the hens can come off to feed. If 
any hen refuses to come off, gently take her off and then 
turn all the nests with the opening to the wall again, so 
no hen can return to her nest until the feeding time has 
passed. If the hens fight, as they usually will for the 
first day or two, they cannot damage the eggs, and there 
is no danger that they will hurt each other. Aiter from 
20 to 30 minutes turn the nests around again and let the 
hens return to them, seeing that each hen returns to her 
own nest. In three or four days they will learn where 
they belong and return to their own eggs without being 
interfered with. Repeat this each day until the 19th, 
after which do not force the hens to leave their nests 
because as soon as the chicks begin to peep the hens will 
not want to come off. \\Vhen the chicks begin to come, 
watch the nests and visit them every hour or two, taking 
all the chicks that are hatched away from the hens hatch- 
ing them, except one. To this hen give all the chicks that 
are hatched, taking eggs from under her to substitute for 
the chicks given to her. As soon as the first hen has 15 
chicks begin giving the newly-hatched chicks to another 
hen and so on, giving each hen 15 chicks until the hatch 
is finished. This usually leaves one or more hens with- 
out chicks, and they may he returned to the laying flock 
to get ready to resume laying. 
The day after the hatch is finished the hens with their 
broods should be removed to the brood coops provided 
for them. A. C. Hawkins, a veteran poultryman of Mas- 
sachusetts, hatches many of his chicks with hens, but 
instead of putting each hen and her brood into a coop by 
