150 MAKING POULTRY PAY 



Hens should be set in July or August for this purpose. 

 The chickens will reach broiling and roasting size by- 

 Thanksgiving and Christmas and can be raised at little 

 expense, as they grow quickjy and glean much from 

 the fields during the fall months. 



SETTING THE HEN 



To set a hen successfully it is necessary first to 

 get the hen. If a hen, when she first appears to be 

 broody, is removed from her nest to the place where it 

 is desired to have her sit, she will probably break up 

 and not sit at all. It is therefore advisable to leave 

 her on the usual nest for several days before removing 

 her to the one where she is expected to hatch. The 

 hatching hest should be made with care, thoroughly 

 shaped, slightly hollowing, and provided with lice 

 expelling substances, such as tobacco leaves, sulphur 

 or some of the prepared insecticides. If it is made 

 hastily knd carelessly the eggs are in danger of being 

 broken and the desired hatch may never take place. 



An excellent nest for sitting hens is made of two 

 duplicate grocery boxes, hinged as .shown in Figure 

 53. A deep box makes it necessary for the hen to 

 jump down upon the eggs. With this nest she has 

 but to step in upon the surface of the nest, when the 

 upper box can be let down, serving as a cover. Holes 

 are bored in each box to give a sufficient circulation of 

 air. A box eighteen inches long, fourteen inches wide 

 and eighteen inches high makes a good nest. Take 

 off the top and split so that one strip is seven inches 

 wide, which is nailed to one side of the opening, as 

 shown at the right in Figure 53. Two short pieces are 

 nailed on this at a and b to hold the door. This box 

 may be used for a nest in which to set the hens and it 



