The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1878-04-18
tual attendance upon the hen that laid

I
The sitting-place should be well ven
tllated, neither cold nor too hot, and
should be in subdued light and away
from all noises. The best time for set
ting hens, if the broods are to be rear
ed IN the open air, is from the begin
nlng OF April to the middle of July.
Each hen should have her own sitting
box, covered in with wirework. The
floor must be strewed with sand, nest
OF straw with an inner lining of hay
placed IN one corner, a pan of water in
another, and a trough in the third. The
water must be renewed every morning,
but food enough for several days can
be deposited at once. If the hen be-
fouls the nest or the eggs, it or they
must becarefully cleansed. Many sitting
| hens get diarrhea, for which a little
tannln or alum in their drinking-water
IS good thing. The eggs are general
ly ruined in these cases, however; for
they are constantly getting ssoiled, and
| the hen then loses all inclination to sit.
No sitting box should be used more than
once a year. If one hen after another
| is allowed to occupy it, especially in
warm weather, it is sure to get lousy,
| and unless the yermin are at once 4 de-
tected it will fare i'll with hen and eggs.
Eggs that do not hatch out at the right
date should still be allowed to remain
under the hen for few days; forit may
be that they are somewhat older than
| the rest or have not been so well cover
ed by her. At the end of that time the
''water proof may be applied. This
consists in placing the eggs in warm
water, when those that float on the sur
face may be known to contain live
chicks. Very often if the water is a
| little warmer than the natural heat of
the hen, the chicks in the eggs will cry
out when placed in it; and in such cases
it is generally weakness only that has
prevented their earlier escaping through
their prison walls. ~. f la s,1af1t
The chickens should be taken away
from the hen, as they hatch out, as soon
as they are dry !; for otherwise they dis
turb her, and she is apt to abandon the
remaining eggs, which are consequent
| ly lost. AS the chicks are removed,
they should be put in a warm place, in
pot containing soft tow, and covered
! with a ,woolen cloth. ..tfer.s.,5 .5r
| As regards the young chicks, the
| great point is to take care that, till they
are at least six weeks old, they are kept
in uniform warm temperture OF. about
60 degs. Fahr. When they are about
half grown they may gradually be accus-
toned to every variation of weather, so
as to get strong, hardy race, that in
turn will produce vigorous offspring.
The best food of all for the first few
days is hard boiled eggs, chopped up
| fine. 1t serves with them the place of
mothers milk with infant mammalia.
But this system must not be continued
| too long, lest their natural appetites
should be deprayed.. In few days
time they may hive millet, soaked in
milk. This must not be pasty or
| doughy; but in, good-sized Jumps that
crumble down readily under the finger
and thumb. Along with this they should
have "a little fine-chopped meat every
other day. When four weeks old, they
should have some sopped wheat, which
| strengthens them wonderfully and
makes them grow and lay on flesh fast.
This may be varied with potatoes and
white bread, soaked in milk. Z - = -
One point of great importance in feed
| ing young fowls should never be lost
sight of. 1t is neglect of this that causes
so many failures in poultry y-reafing
They must be fed often but never have
more at time than they can take with
appetite, for 10 animal is more dainty
| than the fowl. Once give them too much
| food at time, SO that they leave some
of it uneaten, and they will rarely eat OF
| it again, unless actually driven by hun
ger, and then only just enough to stave
off starvation. Dorkings, indeed, will
literally die rather than touch food to
which they have taken a dislike. Plen
| ty of exercise in the open air is a good
thing for the young ones; but even in a
very confined space spoultry-breedine
yields excellent results, if only it be car
ried on with intelligence and zeaL--ii
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