116 The Hen at Work 



till she peeps out at you when you are serving 

 supper, and stays right where she is. So long as 

 she shows hunger, and comes off at evening feed, 

 she is probably too restless to sit quietly. 



It is not wise to use Leghorns, or other light 

 breeds, for incubation. They frequently sit on 

 the nest and behave for all the world as if they 

 never would quit, but if given a rest and a sitting 

 of eggs they suddenly make up their minds they 

 would rather lay after all. Once in a while a 

 Leghorn wiU make a very good mother, especially 

 if she can steal her nest, but they are not to be 

 trusted in general. 



Another matter of importance is the body of the 

 hen. The light breeds have little flesh and almost 

 no fat. Both are needed in a good mother. A 

 hen that goes on to the hatch in poor flesh will not 

 have sufficient body heat to keep the temperature 

 at a proper point. The strain of a long period 

 of sitting will also tell on a thin bird, and she is 

 likely to grow restless. For these reasons choose 

 a fat, heavy hen for the sitter. 



When we feel sure that the hen has settled down 

 to real business it is time to let her start house- 

 keeping. It is by no means as easy as it seems to 



