The Abilene reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1883-1888, 1885-04-09
ABOUT HENS.
Some of the Conditions Necessary to Sc
cure Egg Production.


A hen is fussy creature. She pos
sesses, too, good deal of what in the
popular slang is called will power"
that is. she has the feminine prOclivity
of doing verv much as she has a mind
to, and this she even eXertS in respect to
laying eggs. 1t might be supposed
that hen cannot help but lay eggs
when the fit is on her. but she can do
as she pleaseS about this to great ex-
tent, and when things are not just to
her mind. she will strike work as quick
ly as a YonkerS carpet weaver. and
leave her nest in huff and 90 off and
leave the egg she would have laid I'M
lad, so that it is very important matter
to have the nests both conve nient and
comfortable and placed about the house
in such a manner as will give the hens
plenty of choice to suit themselves. And
even then a good many of them viii
not be suited after all that can be done,
and will leave their eggs on the floor or
in the yard as if in disgust at the ar
rangements. But when one understands
the nature OF hen there is way of
compelling her to do as we want her by
seeming to desire her to do something
else. And the Young poultry keeper
can not learn this knowledge in any
better way than by studying this sub
ject of nests.
Birds instinctively hide their nests
and do this so effectively that it is next
to impossible to find hens nest under
a brush heap or in fence. although one
may walk right into it. One may
humor this habit by providing nests
which seem to offer seclusion and are
yet conveniently placed for the purpose
of the poultry keeper. Once the nest
is chosen it may be made permanent by
good management. An excellent way
is to have portable nest boxes which can
be lifted and moved when desirable.
This is very convenient when a hen
begins to brood, because she viii keep
the nest she has been using in spite of
all efforts to prevent her. The nest we
have used for some years past Is box
about sixteen inches square and twelve
inches deep, made of two-inch strips
nailed two inches apart to solid end
pieces twelve by sixteen inches and one
inch thick. One of the twelve-inch
sides has but two laths nailed at the
bottom, so rs to make a nest sixteen
inches square on the ground with one of
the twelve-inch sides having front of
four inches at the bottom to retain the
nest in position and leave space for the
hen to walk in from the ground. The
lathed sides and bottom provide ample
ventilation and coolneSs, and as the
nest is set upon the ground the bottom
of it has all the favorable conditions
which the stolen nest in the fence TOW
(proverbially the best of ell nests) has.
The nest is made of soft hay and the
box is placed under the shelter of bsashes
or other protection provided in the yard
or in the shadiest corners of the house.
This nest is quite large enough for
brood and is readily taken atser it has
been selected by a brooding hen and
removed with her to the apartment
kept specially for the brooders. For
twenty hens at least eight or sen nests
should be provided, which avoids much
qusrreling and consequent breaking of
eggs.-Hearv StevGrt. IN n. J. Times.