Chapter V 



HATCHING THE CHICKS WITH MACHINE 

 AND HEN 



THE way to get good chickens is to begin 

 with the hens that lay the eggs. These 

 hens should be well-matured, hardy, in 

 good condition and come from an egg-laying strain. 

 Not more than a dozen birds of the lighter breed 

 like the Leghorns and six to eight of the heavier 

 breeds should be mated to one male, in order to 

 make sure of fertile eggs. In some cases it is well 

 to have two cocks for each pen, alternating them 

 each week and keeping the rooster not in use in a 

 pen by himself. When this plan is followed the 

 pen may safely contain more hens. 



Eggs for hatching should not be kept more than 

 two weeks and they need special care. They ought 

 to be stored where the temperature does not run 

 much below forty or much above sixty-five and 

 where they will not dry out rapidly. Some people 

 make a practice of keeping them in bran; others 



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