AMERICAN POULTRY CULTURE 
As soon as a hen shows inclination to sit, she 
should be thoroughly dusted with a reliable brand 
of insect powder, and this operation may profitably 
be repeated once or twice during the hatch. Pro- 
vide dust baths in which the hens may wallow when 
they come off to feed; this breaks the monotony of 
sitting life by providing the hen with enjoyable 
exercise, as well as smothering many of the vermin 
in the dust. Neither lard nor grease of any kind 
should ever be applied to the body of a hen while 
she is sitting, as it would be fatal to the embryo 
chicks. 
As many hens as possible should be set at one 
time, for in this way the infertile eggs may be 
tested out at the end of the first week and the re- 
maining good eggs divided up among the number 
of hens necessary to cover them, sending the other 
hens back to laying again or resetting them. The 
use of this same plan after the chicks are hatched 
also simplifies matters then, because a hen usually 
is capable of looking after a greater number of 
chicks than she herself can hatch; that is, three 
hens can brood as many chicks as four or five can 
hatch. 
The three great things, so far as location and 
environment are concerned, for comfort among 
sitting hens, are quiet, warmth, and subdued light. 
The nests should be large enough to allow the hens 
plenty of room to change their positions, but over- 
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