HATCHING THE CHICKS 63 



must be gently ousted. If the hen does not eat 

 she will become greatly reduced in flesh. 



When a hen becomes broody and the owner de- 

 sires to set her, she should be moved from the lay- 

 ing house at night and placed in the nest prepared 

 for her. A nest egg may be placed under her, and 

 her actions when morning comes will determine 

 whether she shall be trusted with the eggs to be in- 

 cubated. If she is found sitting tight and manifest- 

 ing the customary signs of anger when disturbed, 

 she may be given the eggs. It is always best to put 

 the eggs under the hen rather than to put the hen 

 on the eggs. 



The nest itself should have a shovelful of earth at 

 the bottom, if possible, with a generous supply of 

 fine hay above. It should not be concave, for then 

 the eggs will roll to the middle and not separate 

 easily if the hen attempts to put her foot between 

 them. If the nest is made almost flat with a ridge 

 at the outside to keep the eggs from rolling out, 

 there will be less danger of broken eggs and yet the 

 hen will get all of them under her. 



A free use of some good insect powder like 

 Persian Insect or Dalmatian powder, which may be 

 bought of any druggist, should be made when the 



