66 MRS. BASLEY'S WESTERN POULTRY BOOK 



Setting the Hen 



The old-fashioned recipe was, "Set a hen between sunset and 

 sunrise for luck." In other words, set a hen in the dark. Hens are 

 quieter and not so easily frightened after dark. Choose quiet, gen- 

 tle, tame hens; they make the best mothers. Handle them very 

 gently. Put all the hens on the eggs in the same room the same 

 evening, so they may all hatch out the same time. This is in order 

 to keep the hens quiet during the hatch, as some whose eggs were 

 not hatching the same day might become so excited they would 

 leave their own nests and try to get to the newly hatched chicks 

 when they heard the first peep. 



Dummy eggs should be placed under the hens, when a number 

 of hens are set in the same room, for a few days, a few under each 

 hen. The first night after dark set all the hens on dummy eggs. If 

 some light is necessary, turn the dark side of the lantern toward 

 the hen. Have as dim a light as possible; move the hens gently, 

 They will soon settle down on the eggs. In the morning look in and 

 if any hen appears refractory, put her on the nest again and cover 

 her with a box. Look in frequently for the first few days to see how 

 Ihey are doing, and you will rarely find more than two hens off and 

 eating at the same time, as they are afraid of leaving their nests 

 when others are off. Let the hens sit for two or three days, then 

 put the good eggs gently in at night. The way to do this is to re- 

 move the hen gently, setting her on the floor ; take out the dummy 

 eggs and put the real eggs into the nest and gently replace the hen. 

 Do not talk, act quickly, silently and swiftly, in a very dim light. 



From thirteen to fifteen eggs are all that should be placed under 

 a hen. It is all she can warm properly, all she can turn and attend 

 to without the risk of breaking or cracking some. You will hatch 

 more and stronger chicks by not placing too many under a hen. 



Keeping Records 



Above each nest, hanging on a nail, I place a card. On this card, 

 legibly written is: (1) the date when set; (2) when due; (3) the 

 hen's name or number; (4) name or parents' number on eggs; (5) 

 number of eggs ; (6) date of first test, number infertile or dead ; (7) 

 date of second test and remarks; (8) hatch, number taken from 

 nest, number not hatching or killed ; (9) toe marks of chicks. These 

 cards can be preserved or copied into the diary of the ranch. They 

 form a complete data of each hatch and a history of the hens as well 

 as the chicks. 



Testing the Eggs 



Watch the hens rather closely for the first week, and note any 

 that may be restless, nervous, cross to the others or stupid in not 

 finding their way back to their own nests. These, when you test 

 the eggs, you may be able to cull out and turn them back into the 

 laying pen. It is always best to keep hens of pleasant disposition 

 for mothers. 



The eggs should be tested about the seventh day. An expert can 

 test them earlier, and white eggs or duck eggs show the germ as 



