22 POULTRY FOR PROFIT 
weeks upon the nest, the only time that she 
should be allowed to leave being the short 
time that she takes food and water twice a 
day. Having a quiet place, and giving her 
nourishment twice a day, she will be quite con¬ 
tented. The hen does not need any special 
ration during this time, other than one that is 
fairly heating. Corn is excellent during this 
* period, supplemented with a few other grains, 
such as oats, wheat, etc. A sufficient amount 
of fresh water should be available, together 
with some kind of green food, if possible, such 
as cabbage or mangoes. The hatch will not be 
endangered by the hen leaving the nest to eat. 
In fact, it is beneficial to the eggs to be tem¬ 
porarily cooled, at lea^t once a day, while the 
hen Is off the nest for a while. 
The hen has a habit of turning the eggs 
under her every day, not only removing their 
position from the center to the outside, and 
vica versa, but also turning them over, so that 
perhaps the part of the egg. that was in con¬ 
tact with the nest one day, will be in contact 
with the hen’s body the next day. Or,, in other 
words, she turns it half way around. These 
are all peculiarities that we have to imitate in 
