The Plymouth Democrat., 1870-08-18
About Sitting Hens.

EVERY year, thousands of eggs are lost
because hens are given more to hatch
than they can properly cover and keep
warm. The number OF eggs to sitting
should be proportioned to the size of the
hen which is to cover them. An English
exchange, Land and Water, gives some
sensible suggestion on these points. 1t
says:
The state Of the weather should also
be guide; for hen capable of sitting
upon and Matching thirteen eggs in June,
1t would not be safe to give her more than
ten in January. The great error of set
ting hen upon more eggs than She can
cover is a cause Of general disappoint-
ment. We have frequently seen small
cross bred game hens sit upon thirteen
eggs when it has been perfectly clear 1t
was not possible for them all to receive a
proper and equal share of heat from her
body, and it is absolutely certain that
hen cannot hatch out chickens from those
eggs which she cannot draw close up to
her body. This has been vesy 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, st the most, thirteen eggs,
and while out at feeding time we ex-
amined the nest and found only thirteen
eggs left. We at first thought she might
have eaten them, but after one or two eX-
aminatiOns, 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 find
ing there were only thirteen eggs IN the
nest. We cautiously laid hold of the hen,
when she unfortunately dropped one egg
and broke it; upon examining her, We
found the other missing egg under her
wing. We replaced the eggs in the nest,
and we found she regularly removed one
or two of the eggs; thus 1t was apparent
that she had more eggs under her than
the surface of her body could possibly
cover by contact. This marvellous power
proved the existence Of two wise laws -
the first being the beautiful principle we
term instinct; the second the ardent de-
sire they have for carrying out to the full
est extent the remarkable operation we
understand as incubation.
at is quite unnecessary to remind our
readers further upon the necessity OF Civ
ing the sitting hen rather a limited than
too great number of eggs. Thus, 1T may
probably occur that small halt-bred
game hen may be your choice for natura
incubator; ii SO, nine of her own eggi
should be the extent. If Dorking or {
large sized mongrcl hen be selected, clever
are sufficient. A Cochin hen OF some o
the strains We have seen will even cove
fifteen of her own, or similar sized eggs
but even in this instance, it is best to erl
on the safe side, and give her but thirteel
eggs. Cochins and Brahmas have larg'
width of breast and large amount o
flufr and feather, both features being high
ly conducive to successful Matching, b,
assisting To retain the heat of the body o
the birds and the eggs also.
"There are some hens over anxious
about the chicks within the shells, who's
cry for deliverance they can distinctly
hear, and do not rise from ell the egg
during the process of chipping. Thls I
Al operation we have continually observed
with hens that are very successful ii
aatchinp; while those which sit too close
ly at the last stages are those whose ex
cess of kindness has just produced th'
non or limited success in Matching on
good broods. The only good arising from
? any sprinkling of the eggs occurs from