CHAPTER VII 
BREEDING AND HATCHING 
The natural hatching time is in the spring, 
from the middle of March forward according 
to the coldness of the climate. Any hatch- 
ing done before that time is very likely to be 
.disappointing. One may read of very early 
hatches in January and February but if they 
are encouraging in percentage he can rest 
assured that the’ conditions governing the 
fertility of the eggs have been the best. The 
novice will be better off not to try for the 
very early hatches unless he can meet those 
conditions. 
In the first place it is not Nature’s time. 
That fact probably has everything to do with 
the other conditions. Most fowls have had 
about all they could do to get through the 
winter with the cold weather, the confine- 
ment and lack of some natural conditions. 
They have not had as good air, as much sun- 
shine, or the food and the exercise that they 
get when on range, consequently they are not 
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