Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1892-04-05
HOW TO SET A HEN.
Just How tho unsophisticat.d Poultry.
man Must Handle the Hiddy,


just How tho Unsophislcat.d Poultry.
man hiust Handle the Hiddy.
How 10 set q hen has been the subject
Of many an essay Much ink and paper
have been usAd TO describe the process. Ia
detail. Nests must DO made of a certain
size, filled with hay or straw, cut to Ger.
tain lengths, according to ono writer,
and inverted sod must DO placed Ia tho
bottom of tho nest 80 as TO give that
mythical moisture wo read 40 much
about, and a score or moro of other nice
details arc di.hed up for the benefit Of
the hOnanl amateur, lfamntours would
quietly HE themselves TO somo farm
where hons IN tho freedom OF nature
build nests according 10 their instincts
much of She nonsense written by tlioo-
rctical writer's will DO glniiugly appar.
ont according 90 Tho Faucors journal,
from which we CLEAN the following:
The old hen IS toocuto 90 follow beat.
en- path. She viii perhaps build her Nrst
nest in dark and damp stable. selecting
the most retired spot. The brood clio
bring, forth is umallya full and healthy
one, of course the dampup'S Of the eel
lar must have supplied the moisture,
Tho same hen, however, will huild nest
In midsummer In the huymow, where
the reverse conditions oNist, and not
wi'hsianding tho absence Of moisture
another strong brood IS brought forth
We remember an old Dominique hen
that matched nineteen strong chickens
In a nest built on top Of old hay. A dricr
place could not hayo been selected. As
tho barn doors wcru closed most Of the
tno wo know that tho hen could not
ramhlo ont IN tho early morning while
tho grass was wet with dew and thus
gather supply OF moisture. So much
for theory In building artificial nests
much stress Is lnil on tho inverted sod.
Tho latter IS all right WHOM fresh, aud
tho grateful Goodness due TO the moisture
may please the hon; but place such nsol
on tho bare floor, a. Is usually the case, 1t
soon becomes dry ms powder aud nearly
as useless Whore to set q hen then is u
proper question.
Tho simplest ind bcet method we over
tried or saw was 10 use tightly made
nest boxes that had protecting water.
proof roof, and set thgm outdoors in a
largo yard and possibly u grass run.
The bottom Of the nest consisted Of hall
inch mesh wire netting About an inch
Of und over the latter end then sofI
bed made Of old straw or leaves cont
plvtcd the nest The opening OF the lat
ter faced the haHouolrds Of tho fence,
This prevented heavy winds or rain
reaching the r,u and give a reasonable
exclusion as well The food was placed
IN 10 covered trough IN Tho yard md I'M
hen or hens could cat whenever thoy
/ pleased a great many hens can DO nC
coiluodatud In this manner IN n yard
with no other attention except to geo
that two do not get IN the Same nest oc
casionally The hens will chaugoucsts
Of course, but by marking zach setting
hen with o band On hgr lte aud record.
ing tho number with date, variety and
number Of eggs set, complete record
CUn be kept aud mistakes avoided.
In our own experience we seldom II
ever disturb % setting hem Tho luttoi
understands her business US rule. II