Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1888-01-21
THE POULTRY YARD.
Nalus bic Hints to Beginners in the Chicken
Raising Business.

To those who have Il large number
of hens, but who prefer the incubator
when Matching, | would suggest the
following plan, which has been used
with good results in a number of in
stances Of which | am aware: A few
hens a always be found which SHOW
a desire to sit. Instead Of breaking
those up set them all, giving each hen
as many eggs AS she can possibly cover,
and then prepare your incubator Tor
action. At the end Of five DAYS test
all the eggs YOU have set, and place the
fertile mes in tie incubator, laying
them fiat, and mark the date Of setting
on each egg. If the tray i, not filled,
use a few glass eggs to ill up, or fit a
light piece Of wood across which will
prevent their rolling about. At the
same time You remove the tested eggs
from the hens, reset them with fresh
ones, and at the end of another five
days again Use your tester and place
the fertile eggs in the incubator, mark
ing, as before, the date. These may
be placed in the same tray with the first
lot, if it is not already full. Repeat
the operation as long as the constiiu-
tions Of the hens will stand it, or until
you have all the eggs set you care for.
II the nests are thoroughly cleaned and
supplied with fresh straw every ten
days, and the hens kept free from ver-
min, and are supplied with plenty Of
corn and wheat, with fresh water daily,
they may be kept sitting for six or
eight weeks without injury. Taking
seven weeks As TIE average time each
sits, during this time each hen can be
reset ten times, and if thirteen eggs
are given, will cover during the entire
period 100 eggs. The chief advantage
OF this system is that n larger percent
age OF chicks can be realized than if the
incubator alone be used, There seems
TO be something in the steady heat and
contact Of the hen which IS more sue.
ceSsiul in giving the eggs a good start
than can be obtained in the best
OF incubators and after they
are Once well started it is compar
atlyely an easy matter to carry
them along to II successful hatch.
would recommend that each lot of crps
be sprinkled with warm water, com
mencing at the eighteenth day of incu-
baton, and continuing at each turning
until the Matching takes place. In or
der TO keep the chicks from crawling
about too promiscuously, take four
pieces Of %pasteboard about four inches
wide, and make "A frame which will
conllne them to their reservation, TO
iasten the frame at the corners Use
pieces of cloth and II little glue or
paste.
have been asked the question, ..Do
You think it Il good plan to heip the
chicks out of the shell if they are I'M
able to get out alone ?" ia chick is
unable to work his way out without as
sistance it either lacks vitality or has
developed at the wrong end of the egg.
IN the former case it is very likely that
the chick will be short-lived if assisted.
while in the latter a number may be
saved. When the chipping is noticed
at the small end OF the egg opposite
the a%ir-cell, the head Of the chick IL
turned the wrong way and it has not
the room to work. A little assistance
in such eases often results in saving n
strong chick. will add Il few words
about nests and setting hens. II possi-
bic have II separate house in which To
set your hens. This should be well
ventilated and have a small covered
yard attached. The nests should he
made in separate boxes, and filled with
straw enough to keep the eggs of the
bottom OF the box. At least every ten
days take the boxes outside, lipbt tho
straw and invert the boxes over tho
straw until they are pretty thorouabl,
scorched. Refill with fresh straw and,
replace the eggs. In the yard have. n
good sized box containing sand or road
dust, In which mix several handsful of
sulphur flour; also have pans or
tronghs, which keep filled wa. .orn or
wheat, aud u drinking fountain Iilloi
With fresh water - taiiforsia Ganlisr.