94 ILLINOIS STATE DAIRYMEN'S ASSOCIATION 



chicks. When incubators are used for hatching, the prac- 

 tice of ''breaking up^' broody hens must ordinarily be fol- 

 lowed. 



Broodiness usually follows a short period of intensive 

 egg laying. At the time the hen goes broody her ovary con- 

 tains a number of well developed yolks nearly ready to be 

 detached and surrounded with albumen and shell. If 

 broodiness is allowed to take its natural course these yolks 

 will be reabsorbed, a process which definitely delays the 

 time when egg laying can again start. The feeding of the 

 broody hen should be planned to prevent this reabsorption. 

 Confining her in a coop without food will only hasten the 

 reabsorption. Instead of this she should be fed liberally 

 on feeds which tend to stimulate egg production. The reg- 

 ular dry mash should be constantly available to her and a 

 moist mash may be fed if desired. Plenty of water should 

 be provided. Milk to drink is still better. 



It is well to confine the broody hen for about three 

 days and nights in a slat-bottomed coop where there is no 

 nesting material. In mild weather it is often sufficient to 

 turn the broodies loose for a few days in a grass-covered 

 run, provided dry mash and milk or water are available to 

 them. It is essential that the broody hen be separated from 

 the flock not later than the second night that she indicates 

 a desire to remain on the nest instead of going to roost. 

 There is nothing to be gained, however, by such drastic 

 means as ducking the hen in a pail of water or confining her 

 in a small pen without food or drink. 



It may be pointed out that the hen that never lays 

 eggs never goes broody. It is also true that the very best 

 hens do not go broody at all. Egg laying is a prerequisite 

 to broodiness and the broody hen should be given some con- 

 sideration for what she has done. It must be remembered 

 however, that no hen can go broody more than two or three 

 times during the year and still make a high egg record. 



Artificial Light Will Lengthen the Hen's Working Day. 



The practice of using some artificial light in the poul- 

 try house during the winter months is becoming quite gen- 



