Methods with Laying Hens 185 



This litter is the blanket that makes the floor 

 warm, so it must always be thick enough to keep 

 the boards well covered. When bare spots appear 

 here and there, it is time to throw in more litter. 



Do Not Frighten Hens.^ — Do not frighten hens 

 by throwing in fresh litter during the day. Work 

 of this kind should all be done at night, after the 

 hens are on the roost. The night is the best time 

 to move hens from coop to coop, and for making 

 the shifts necessary now ajid then in the lajnng 

 house. After a scare, a hen will often lay an egg 

 before it is due, and suffer from the disturbance. 



Nests. — Look after the nests and see that the 

 hay or straw is always fresh and clean. In start- 

 ing off the puUets put a china egg in a couple of 

 nests as a hint. Pullets seldom go into the regular 

 nests at first. It is doubtful if they know just 

 what is to be done with the first «ggs, as they drop 

 them about here and there in the litter. 



Be sure to leave no flat surfaces, such as the top 

 of dry-mash boxes* to lay on. If such surfaces are 

 present, put up a board slantwise, to keep them 

 from nesting and roosting there. Eggs laid in 

 such places will fall and break. Then egg-eating 

 begins. 



