172 Profitable Poultry Keeping. 



too close a sitter generally spoils her nest, and fails to bring 

 out any chicks. Upon this account, therefore, if a hen 

 shows any reluctance to come off, she must be lifted off. To 

 do this properly, care is necessary, and the hands must be 

 slid below the wings, so as to prevent any eggs that might 

 happen to be tucked under them, falling down when the hen 

 is lifted, and breaking the others in the nest. She must 

 then be lifted up by the wings ; and, if she makes any attempt 

 to run back without feeding, the door of tbe hatching box 

 should be closed until the time named has expired. 



The food given to a sitting hen must always consist of 

 hard grain, as corn, wheat or barley, and never of soft food. 

 The latter causes looseness of the bowels, and the poor hen, 

 unable or unwilling to leave her nest, fouls it. If this should 

 happen, or, from any cause an egg gets broken, the eggs 

 remaining, must be well washed, and the nest re-made. This 

 is best done by having a pail half full of warm water, just hot 

 enough so that the hand can bear it. The eggs should be 

 placed in this, and properly cleaned with a sponge ; and the 

 legs and thighs of the bird must also be washed, to prevent 

 the eggs sticking thereto, and, perhaps, falling and breaking, 

 when the hen gets out. A dust bath will be needed also, 

 say, a box half filled with dry ashes or earth, with a sprink- 

 ling of carbolic powder in it. This will help to keep down 

 \ice, which are not only troublesome to the hens, but danger- 

 ous to the chicks, causing that most dreaded of all chicken 

 diseases, the gapes. 



Considerable discussion has arisen as to the testing of eggs. 

 This is done to prove their fertility, during the process of incu- ' 

 bation. Some there are who advocate a " let alone " policy; but 

 we do not, as we firmly believe in the testing, and always do it. 

 If carefully done no harm can ensue ; and, if unfertile eggs are 

 present, as they very often are, especially early in the season, 

 they can be removed, and thus six or eight hens made to do 



