Management of Sitting Hens. 171 



rule, if left undisturbed for twenty-four hours, a hen so treated 

 will be found sitting closely, and all will go on well after- 

 wards. The real eggs can then be substituted for the others ; 

 but, if she is at all unsettled, this must not be done for 

 a day or two longer. 



As already indicated by us, each hen must be allowed off 

 the nest for feeding purposes once every day, and thus, in a 

 room where there are a large number of sitters, it should be 

 arranged that this shall take place in rotation. The period 

 may be varied according to the season of the year, and the 

 temperature of the place where the hens are sitting. Hens 

 which find their own nests are accustomed to leave them an 

 hour at a time ; but, it must be remembered, that, as a rule, 

 they never sit except in moderately warm weather, such as can 

 generally be found in the late spring. It will not do, there- 

 fore, to adopt the same plan at all seasons. Eggs will stand 

 a very great deal, and we have known them hatch, even after 

 being stone cold for twelve hours ; but this fact must not be 

 taken- as a warrant for carelessness. As a general rule, it 

 may be accepted that ten to fifteen minutes is long enough, 

 early in the year ; but, later on, or, if in a warm place, then 

 half-an-hour will do no harm. If the temperature is very 

 low, the first-named period would be sufficient to kill the 

 eggs ; and, when this is the case, something must be done 

 when the hen is off, either by closing the box or covering the 

 eggs, to prevent their getting chilled. If the nest is made 

 in a proper place, however, there will be no danger of this, 

 and the periods given by us may be taken as a rule. The 

 leaving of the nest by the hen is necessary, not only for her 

 sake, but that the eggs may be cooled, without which they 

 will not hatch. It is supposed that the cooler air is required 

 to expand the lungs of the embyro chick, and that fresh 

 vigour is thus drawn through the pores of the shell. At any 

 rate, whatever may be the reason, it is no doubt a fact thai 



