Daily Kennebec journal., 1878-04-16
NO. 80.
Miseellaneous.
HATCHlNG CHICKENS.

This is the special business of the
spring with poultry keepers, and requires
all the thought and care that can be Civ
en- to the subject aside from other duties
of the farm. In the first place, eggs Sc
lected for Matching should be placed in
trays. OF these soap box cut through
tho centre will make two. The eggs
should not be laid on each other, but
placed singy in rows on cut hay or some
soft material, and if more than one breed
are kept, the variety that laid the egg. as
well as the day on which it was laid,
should be marked on each with pencil
They should be turned over every day,
each end being placed alternately upper
most; that is, one day the large end up
and the next day the small one. By this
care the eggs will hatch much better than
if left on one side, as the yolk floats to
the top whichever way the egg Is left,
and dries to the side, spelling it for incu.
baton.
A cool cellar is the best place TO keep
eggs in. When both eggs and hens are
ready, the eggs should be marked with
ink, for pencil marks become obliterated
during incubation A good way is with
little brush or stick to make a ring round
the eggs near either end, but so far on
that a glance into the nest will detect any
eggs laid therein during incubation. 1t is
well not to make this ink line around the
centre OF the eggs, as it might interfere
with the Matching il the ink covers that
part OF the shell where it opens to let cut
It's tenant.
Eleven or twelve eggs are enough for 8.
hen in cold weather, but in warm weather
thirteen may be set. Never set hen in
a deep nest, as she will break the eggs
when jumping into the nest. The best
way to prepare a nest. is to cut a grass
sod the size of the bottom OF the nest box
make little hollow, so that the eggs may
not roll 10 the side; make the nest ON this
sod with little straw near to the top of
the nest. box or basket. Whenever you
can set Il hen where she has laid, do so,
unless in place where other hens would
trouble her. 1t is best to give a hen the
eggs at night particularly il you remove
her 10 new nest. When convenient, set
several hens at the same time. Should
many eggs prove bad when examined at.
ter eight days. the good ones may be dis
uibultd to some OF the. hens to make up
a lul number To each hen, and the re-
naming hens can have fresh eggs given
tlltII uf why W btil CEEo uiC
good hold one at n time up to the sun or
lamp light. shading the egg with your
hands all around excepting the side
towards the lamp and the opposite side
turned TO the eye, 50 that the egg can be
seen through. Should it appear quite clear
ii is not fertile. At that Stage OF incuba-
ton, eggs that are not sterile will appear
dark almost ali over.
To keep hens clear from parasites while
sitting it is good to dust a little pnlverized
su phur through their feathers and in their
nest. All sitting hens should be SO treat
ed. Difference OF opinion exists as to let
ting hen sit without disturbing her
prefer looking into the nest daily. in case
an egg gets broken.
In cool weather eggs may be left with
out further trouble, but in hot weather
sometimes the chicks have difficulty in
breaking The shell and often perish in the
attempt TO prevent this, little tcpid
water sprinkled in the nest. from the sew
enteenth to the nineteenth day, will help
the she'll to pait. During the process OF
incubation, the shell OF an egg becomes
brittle, and Just at the time ut Matching
breaks very easily. A little moisture in-
creases the britlleness of the shell, espec-
ially il applied lew days before hatch
ing. A hen sci on The ground, however,
does not require to have her nest moist
ened. Ducks eggs hatch much better on
the ground than III a high nest.
II the hen has been accustomed to be-
ing handled it is best to look to the nest
while Matching, and take out some OF the
empty egg shells, as they often impede
the chicRs that hatch a few hours later
than the others, in getting ou, OF the she'll.
Unless there is too long au interval between
the first and the last egg Matching, do not
take out the young chicks from the nest;
they will do better with the natural heat
of the mother, and require no food for
twelve TO twenty-four hours; for when
they leave the shell their stomachs are
filled with the yolk OF the egg. Some
times chick will stick to the shell, or
rather the inside lining OF it will stick to
him, in which case the shell can be re-
moved with care, but this must be done
very cautiously. 1t any blood is observed
let it remain longer till it dres.-Henry
Hdles in Rural NeW Yorker.