32 BROILERS AND ROASTERS. 



We need not discuss here whether it is better to use incu- 

 bators and brooders than to use hens during spring and 

 -summer. It is the production of winter chickens that we 

 are considering at present, and for this the artificial appli- 

 ances are indispensable, the exception to their use noted 

 above being one of the kind that proves the rule, for it is 

 practicable only when operations are on a very limited 

 scale. For late fall, early and mid-winter hatches broody 

 hens cannot be obtained in sufficient numbers to hatch 

 chicks on a large scale. For later hatches they may be, 

 but the general tendency of hens is to wean their chicks 

 early at that season, and hence the hens are most unreliable 

 for brooding purposes at the season when it would be most 

 desirable that they should remain long with their broods. 



Hatching with hens and brooding artificially are some- 

 times combined, but rarely now where large numbers of 

 chicks are produced out of the natural season. In short, 

 wherever natural methods are used in the production of 

 broilers and roasters it is because the venture is in the 

 nature of a makeshift until arrangements for the use of 

 artificial methods can be made. 



