River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1873-05-02
FARM AND HOUSEHOLD.
Raising Chickens.

The Rural Home gives seasonable
article on the subject which we repro
duce:
The NUMBER OF EGGS TO PUr UNDER
A HEy. One of the most important
points to be observed in setting eggs
for Matching, is to correctly proportion
ate the number, taking into considera-
ton the size, and the hen about to sit
upon them. The state of the weather
should also be a guide; for hen
capable of sitting upon or covering
thirteen eggs in the warm days of June
ought not to have more than ten eggs
in the colder spring weather. The
great error in setting hens upon more
eggs than they can properly cover is a
cause of very general disappointment.
We have frequently seen native and
other small breeds set upon thirteen
eggs, when it was perfectly clear that
all of them could not receive an equal
share of heat from their bodies. 10 is
also certain that a hen can not hatch
out chickens from those eggs which
she can not draw close to her body and
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require in the process of incubation.
This has been clearly demonstrated to
us; for upon more than one occasion
we placed fifteen eggs under a hen, in
our greed for chickens, when we ought
not at any season to have given more
than twelve, or at most thirteen, for
they could not cover them properly,
for the eggs became chilled and non
productive.
THE PROPER HENS To SET.-A game
or cross-breed game hen we consider
the best, because they make the very
best of mothers, and attentive to their
young; however, native hens make very
good mothers. In case We use n game
or small bred hen we should place un-
der her nine or ten eggs if Dorking
be used eleven are sufficient q Cochin
or Drama hen we have seen cover, very
well, from thirteen to fifteen eggs.
For fear of accidents we should give
the Asiatics but thirteen eggs. Cochins
and Brahmas have a large width of
breast and a 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 of the eggs also.
The FERTILITY OF EGGs.-To test
eggs to learn whether they are fertil-
lied and Will hatch it requires very
little trouble. The way to ascertain
unfertile eggs at az early period as
possible is to take them into a room
moderately dark, and hold them be-
tween the eye and candle or lamp. The
eggs under a setting hen should be ex.
amined ut least as early as the eighth
day after she commences incubation.
II the egg be fertile, it viii appear
Opaque, or dark all over, except per-
haps, a small portion toward the top;
but if il be unimpregnated, it will still
be transluctant, the light passing
through it almost as if new laid. After
some little experience and careful OBJ.
servation the fertility of the eggs can
be distinguished tan early period a
practical hand can tell unfertile eggs
even at the fourth day. Should the num-
her withdrawn be considerable, four
patches set the same day may be given
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remainder gwen fresh; and if not, the
fertile eggs will get more heat, and the
brood came ont all the stronger.
CLosE-SETrING HENs.-There are
some hens over anxious about the
chicks within the shells, whose cry for
deliverance they can distinctively
hear and they do not rise from off the
eggs during the process OF chipping.
This is an operation we have continu-
ally observed with hens that are very
successful in Matching, while those
which sat too closely az the last stages
are those whose excess Of kindness has
produced the non or limited. success
IN Matching ont good broods. The only
good we have observed arising from
any sprinkling Of the eggs with the wa
ter is from their having received an in
crease and life-saying supply Of air
during such process, without which,
i'm many instances, the chicks would
either have been sulocated or glued 10
the shell.
THE Process or IvcUBATIoN. The
process vi theincubation of the chicken
is a subject not only curious but inter.
esting TO the student of nature. IL
generally takes twenty-one days TO
hatch a brood Of chickens, although a
close setting hen will sometimes hatch
her chicks in eighteen days, ii tn
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