114 HATCHING AND REARING 



situation, preferably the south side of a building, or the south 

 side of a board fence or stone wall, where they get the direct 

 sun's rays and are sheltered from north winds. If built in 

 an orchard or where there is green sward and natural shade, 

 the chicks will grow much better. It is wise to locate the 

 hatching shelter where the chicks are to be permanently 

 reared, as too much changing about is undesirable. 



Making the Nests. — No matter what the type of shelter, 

 earth or soil nests are best. When the nest is built directly 

 on the ground, the soil can be scooped out and packed up 

 in the comer, thus making a hollow in the center. If the 

 nest is built in a box or a shelter with a wooden floor, three or 

 four shovelfuls of dirt, or some thick sods, should be placed 

 in the bottom of the nest. The hollow in the earth should 

 be about fourteen inches in diameter, and three inches deep 

 in the center. The comers should be filled in so that the 

 eggs can by no chance roll out of the nest, and become lost. 

 After the soil is hollowed out, the nesting material should 

 be added; straw cut into six or eight inch lengths makes a 

 fine nest. Shavings and leaves are also often used. The 

 straw should be shaped to conform to the curve of the 

 earthen nest, and should be packed down solid so that the 

 eggs will not be buried in it. Nesting material to the depth 

 of one inch is sufficient. 



Setting the Hen. — After the nest is made, the hen for 

 sitting should be selected, and placed on the nest, preferably 

 in the evening, before dark (Fig. 64) . At this time she does not 

 get frightened and is much easier to handle. She settles 

 down on the eggs immediately, and is more contented than 

 if she were handled in the day time. For the first twenty- 

 four hours it is well to put false eggs under her, and keep 

 them there imtil she has proven to be a good sitter. After 

 one day's trial the false eggs can be removed, and real ones 

 to be incubated substituted. In placing the permanent eggs 

 in the nest be careful to distribute them well. Do not put 



