HATCHING AND BROODING WITH MOTHER HEN 45 



There are several so-called "natural" systems of 

 handling sitters, the gist of them being that the hens 

 are confined, together, in a system of nests built as a 

 series, yet each having its own little run, so that no hen 

 may be interfered with, and none can get on the wrong 

 nest, — an unfortunate habit with some hens which is 

 responsible for a good percentage of lost " sittings " of 

 eggs. As the process of incubation must be practically 

 continuous, and at a sustained and even temperature, 

 the sitting hen must leave the nest but briefly. Gener- 

 ally speaking, the eggs should not become so cold that 

 they feel cold to the touch. From the second to the 

 twelfth of the twenty-one days required, however, the 

 danger of a fatal outcome from too long cooling is con- 

 siderably greater than it is after the chick is well formed 

 in the egg, and generating animal heat. Near the end of 

 the period, I have known eggs to be left overnight by 

 the hen, and still hatch well. One does not care to 

 assume the risk voluntarily, however. 



One's " Jack-at-a-pinch " system may consist only of 

 the needed nests placed near enough together to be 

 handily cared for, in any vacant room ; or in a rough 

 shed under a spreading tree when it becomes warm. 

 The crucial point is that the hens shall be under such 

 control or surveillance that they shall not be able to 

 " mix those children up " to the extent of leaving any 

 without warmth, or to give a surplusage of two or more 

 mothers to one clutch of eggs while others chill. Neither 

 must they fight for place. 



Plain, nutritious feed and water and a bath are all the 

 sitter needs daily, except to see that she " stays put." 

 Whole corn and grass or clover are by far the best 



