POULTRY SECTION. 159 



strong cock bird with pullets. The number of hens to one male bird depends largely 

 o;: the condition of the male and whether or not his attentions are well distributed. 

 A safe rule may be from six to a dozen, but good results have been obtained with 

 as many as thirty hens to one male, but in such cases the vitality of the chicks is 

 sure to be lowered. 



INCUBATION. 



Where poultry is raised on an extensive scale, incubators and brooders are a 

 necessity, since hens cannot be depended on to become broody in sufficient numbers 

 and at the right time to furnish the early hatched chicks so necessary to the large 

 poultry plant. But to the farmer who raises but a hundred chickens or less, the 

 natural means of hatching is preferable. For those who prefer to use incubators, 

 it is always best to follow closely the rules laid down by the maker of the incubator. 

 He knows best just what his particular machine will do and just how it should be 

 run. The same may also be said of brooders. 



As a general rule, hen-hatched chicks are more vigorous than those hatched 

 in incubators. Especially is this true where the farmer or his wife has not sufficient 

 time to give proper attention to the incubator, or to properly look after the chicks 

 when raised in a brooder. The hen knows better than the average farmer how 

 - to care for her little ones. If the farmer would spend as much time in caring 

 for his setting hens and their chicks as he would with an incubator and brooder, 

 he would probably have as many chickens in the fall, and they would be stronger 

 and more vigorous than if he had hatched them by artificial means. 



If convenient, set several hens at the same time and when the hatch comes off, 

 give all the chicks to as few hens as can conveniently care for them. Break up the 

 other hens and get them to laying again as soon as possible. The setting hens 

 should be in a secluded place by themselves. The constant noise and disturbance 

 made by the rest of the flock is apt to break up their setting and cause them to 

 leave the eggs before they are hatched. Very often a hen will get discouraged 

 and leave the nest two or three days before it is time for the hatch. Do not throw 

 them away. Keep them in a warm place by the stove and in nine cases out of ten 

 the heat generated by the eggs, or rather the chicks themselves, will complete the 

 hatch and all be good and lively. 



The setting hens and their nests must be kept perfectly free from mites and 

 lice. Nothing will discourage a setting hen quicker than the constant irritation 

 caused by lice. Use Diolice freely on the hens and nests up to the third or fourth 

 day before the hatch is to come off'. Give the hens access to a good dust bath. 

 Place plenty of fresh water, grit, and oyster shells where they can help themselves 

 at will. 



About the tenth day it is a good plan to test the eggs. Very often enough clear 

 eggs may be taken out so that the remaining eggs may be set under fewer hens. 

 In this case, one or more of the hens can be broken up and put with the laying 

 stock. Egg testers may be bought of incubator manufacturers or poultry supply 

 dealers. A good home-made tester can be made in a few minutes by using an 

 ordinary pasteboard shoe box, set on end. Place a small lamp inside and put the 

 cover on. Cut a hole in the top for ventilation, and on the side opposite the cover 

 cut a hole, just a trifle higher than the flame of the lamp, about the size of a silver 

 half dollar. Darken the room when testing. Place the egg over the hole and 

 turn slowly. If the egg is opaque, except the air space, it is fertile. If it is clear 

 it is not fertile and should be thrown out. The clear eggs may be saved and boiled 

 for feed for the little chicks. 



FEEDING FOR RESULTS. 



Feeding poultry of any kind is a problem of great importance. While a scien- 

 tific knowledge of the balance ration is not necessary, the fundamentals of cor- 

 rect feeding should be understood. The question is what to feed, how much and 

 when. Fowls in a wild state live mostly on green food, bugs and worms, during 

 the breeding season, thus getting the necessary rations for egg production. We 

 want our hens to produce eggs the year round, if possible, therefore we must feed 

 an egg producing ration and surround them with the proper environments. The 

 three essentials are grain foods, animal foods and succulent green foods. If these 

 three varieties are placed in sufficient quantities before the fowls, they will balance 



