\ 
POULTRY ON THE GENERAL FARM 
all the yearling hens that appear fat and lazy. By the time 
the young pullets are ready to be moved into quarters—the 
latter part of August—these hens should be reduced to about 
one-half the original number. Some time during September 
a final culling of the old stock should be made. Those that 
have not yet begun to molt should be sold, as they will not 
be laying again before the warm days of the following Feb- 
ruary. This system of culling will leave the best portion of 
the yearling hens, which, together with the early-hatched 
pullets, will make a profitable flock of layers. 
Hatching Chicks With Hens. 
The eggs for hatching should be stored in a cool, dry loca- 
tion at a temperature between forty and seventy degrees 
Fahrenheit. A good rule is not to set eggs over two weeks 
old. 
The two chief losses with sitting-hens are due to lice and 
interference of other hens. The practice of setting hens in 
the chicken-house makes both these difficulties more trouble- 
some. Almost all farms will have some outbuilding situated 
apart from the regular chicken-house that can be used for 
sitting-hens. The most convenient arrangement will be 
to use boxes, and have these open at the top. They 'may be 
placed in rows and a plank somewhat narrower than the 
boxes used as a cover. The nests should be made by throw- 
ing a shovel of earth into the box and then shaping a nest of 
clean straw. Make the nest roomy enough so that as the hen 
steps into the nest the eggs will spread apart readily and 
not be broken. When a hen shows signs of broodiness 
remove her to the sitting-room. This should be done in the 
evening, so that the hen becomes accustomed to her position 
by daylight. Place the hen upon the nest-eggs and confine 
her to the nest. If all is well the next evening give her a 
full setting of eggs. 
A practical method to arrange for sitting-hens is to build 
the nests out of doors, allowing each hen a little yard, so 
that she may have liberty to leave her nest as she chooses. 
These nests may be built by using twelve-inch boards set on 
edge, so as to form a series of small runways about one 
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