LAYING AND HATCHING. 67 



swarm -wdth vermin, the sitting hens become irritable and break their eggs; and 

 when the young pheasants come out they are infested with fleas and pediculi, and 

 nearly devoured alive. Moreover, the dry, stifling air of these places is destructive 

 to the vitality of the unhatched birds, which die in the shell either before or at 

 the period of hatching. Every poultry keeper knows that no nests are so prolific 

 of strong healthy chickens as those that the hens "steal" under hedges or in 

 some copse or concealed cover, from whence they emerge with a strong flourishing 

 brood, that puts to shame the delicate sickly youngsters reared in the close air and 

 dry overheated nests of the hatching-house. The nearer we can imitate Nature the 

 better — and if the hens hatching pheasants' eggs can be set on the ground, covered 

 over with a ventilated coop — more for concealment than warmth — and this sur- 

 rounded by a wire run, into which the hen can come out, feed, drink, and, above 

 all, dust herself, at her will, the eggs will be found to hatch out much more 

 abundantly than when they are set in the vermin-infested, crowded pigeon holes 

 adopted by many keepers. 



A cheaply constructed box, fifteen inches square, is shown in the woodcut. 

 The nest shoiild be on the ground, there being no bottom to the box ; and if 

 the sides and the wire work are sunk into the earth, and the latter is sparrow 



HATCHING BOX. BOX AND EUN COMPLETE. 



and rat proof, the hen may be supplied once daily with food and water without 

 entailing any further trouble. But some dry ashes should be given in which she 

 can dust herself. 



In confirmation of my views on the subject of hatching, I have much pleasure 

 in quoting the following practical observations of Mr. P. Crook, who states : — " The 

 fault usually existing is, that an over-careful, pampering system is adopted, and 

 miserable broods are the result. I have experimented in a manner which leaves no 

 doubt upon the subject. Upon one occasion I was anxious to test the fertility of 

 certain pheasants' eggs, and continued to remove the eggs from a nest in the 

 woods untU I found the hen desirous of sitting. I left twelve eggs in the nest, and 

 I set thirteen at home under a hen; the pheasant brought out twelve birds, while 

 at home I only had three miserable birds. Similar results have many times occurred 

 since. As a rule, the home hatching places are too confined in area, the hens are 

 fed too near the nests, and are not compelled to remain ofE the eggs long enough, 

 and no amount of wetting or sprinkling with water, either hot or cold, recommended 

 by some writers, will compensate for a due supply of fresh air. Birds in the woods 



K 2 



