The Sumter watchman. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1855-1881, 1870-08-24
ABOUT sETTING aRNs.

Every year Thousands Of eggs are lost
because hens are given moro to hatch
than they can properly cover aud keep
warm. The number Of eggs to = sot>
ting should be proportioned to the size
Of the hen which is to cover them. An
English exchange, Land and Water,
gives some sensible suggestions on these
points. It says:
"The state of the weather should also
be guide; for hen capable Of setting
upon and hatching thirteen eggs in June,
it would not be safe to give her more
than ten in January. The great error
of setting hen upon more eggs than
she can cover is cause ofgeneral dis
appointment. We have frequently seen
small cross bred game hens set upon
thirteen eggs when it has been perfect.
ly clear it was not possible for them all
to receive proper and equal share of
heat from her body, and it is absolutely
certain that hen cannot hatch out
chickens from those eggs which sho
cannot draw close up to her body. This
has been very clearly demonstrated to
us, for upon one occasion we placed
fifteen eggs under hen, not safe at any
season to have given more than twelve,
or, at the most, thirteen eggs, and while
out at feeding tiro, we examined tho
nest aud found only thirteen eggs left.
We at first thought she might have eat
en- them, but after one or two examina-
tions, we found sometimes thirteen and
at other times fourteen eggs present so
we determined upon catching the hen
one morning while off to feed, after fin
ding there were only thirteen eggs in
the nest. We cautiously laid hold Of
the hen, when she unfortunately drop
ped one egg and broke it; upon exami>
ming her, we found the other missing
egg under her wing. We replaced the
eggs in the nest, and we found she regu.
lariy removed one or two Of the eggs !;
thus it was apparent that she had more
eggs under her than the surface Of her
body could possible cover by contact.
This marvellous power proved the ex-
istence of two wise laws-the first being
the beautiful principle we term instinct;
the second the ardent desire they have
for carrying out to the fullest extent the
remarkable operation We understand as
incubation.
"It is quite unnecessary to remind
our readers further upon the necessity
of giving the setting hen rather limi.
ted than too great number Of eggs.
Thus, it may probably occur that a
small half-bred hen may be your choice
for natural incubator; ifso, nine of
her own eggs should be the extent. IF
Dorking or large seized mongrel hen
be selected, eleven are sufficient. A
Cochin hen of some of the strains we
havo seon will even cover fifteen of her
own, or similar sized eggs; but even in
this instance, it is best to err on the
safe side, and give her but thirteen eggs.
Cochins and Brahmas have a large
width Of breast and large amount Of
fluff and feather, both features being
highly conducive to successful Matching
by assisting to retain the heat of the
body Of the birds and tho eggs also.
"There are some hens over anxious
about the chicks within the shells,
whose cry for deliverauce they can dis.
tinctly hear, and do not rise from off
the eggs during the process of chipping.
This is an operation we have continual
ly observed with hens that are very
successful in hatching; which set too
closely at the last stages, are those whose
excess of kindness has just produced
the non or limited success in Matching
out good broods. The only good aris-
ing from any sprinkling Of the eggs
occurs from the fact of their having re.
ceived an increas ed and life saving sup.
ply of fresh air during such process,
which in many instances would other.
wise have ended in the chicks either
being suilocatod or glued to the she'll"
MN nv