The Londonderry sifter. (South Londonderry, Vt.) 1883-19??, 1892-04-29
HOW TO SET A HEN.
just How tho unsophisticated Poultr
man Must Handle tho Biddy.

just How tho unsophisticated Poultry
man Must Handle tho Biddy.
How to set a hen has been the subject
of many an essay. Much ink and paper
have been used to describe the process in
detail Nests must be made of a certain
size, filed with hay or straw, cut to GER
tain lengths, according to one writer,
and inverted sod must be placed in the
bottom of the nest SO as to give that
mythical moisture we read so much
about, and score or more of other nice
details are dished up for the benefit Of
the hen and amateur amateurs would
quietly HE themselves to some farm
where hens in the freedom of nature
build nests according to their instincts
much of the nonsense written by theo-
retical writers will be glaringly appar-
ent, according to The Fancier's Journal,
from which we CLEAN the following:
The old hen is too cute to follow beat
en- path, She will perhaps build her first
nest in dark and damp stable, selecting
the most retired spot. The brood she
brings forth is usually full and healthy
one. Of course the dampness of the eel
lar must have supplied the moisture.
The same hen, however, will build nest
in midsummer in the haymow, where
the reverse conditions exist, and not
withstanding the absence of moisture
another strong brood Is brought forth.
We remember an old Dominique hen
that Matched nineteen strong chickens
in nest built on top of old hay. A drier
place could not have been selected. AS
the barn doors We're closed most of the
time we knew that the hen could not
ramble out in the early morning while
the grass was wet with dew and thus
gather a supply of moisture. So much
for theory. In building artificial nests
much stress is laid on the inverted sod.
The latter is all right when fresh, and
the grateful GOODNESS due to the moisture
may please the hen; but place such a sod
on the bare floor, as is usually the case, it
soon becomes dry as powder and nearly
as useless. Where to set hen then is a
proper question.
The simplest and best method we ever
tried or saw was to use tightly made
nest boxes that had protecting water.
proof roof, and set them outdoors in a
large yard and possibly a grass run.
The bottom of the nest consisted of hall
inch mesh wire netting. About an inch
of sand over the latter, and then soft
bed made of old straw or leaves com
pleted the nest. The opening of the Lat
ter faced the baseboards of the fence
This prevented heavy winds or rair
reaching the hen and gave reasonable
exclusion as well. The food was placed
in covered trough in the yard and the
hen or hens could eat whenever they
pleased. A great many hens can be &C
commodated in this manner in yar(
with no other attention except to SCI
that two do not get in the same nest &C
casionally. The hens will change nests
of course, but by marking each setting
hen with band on her leg and record
ing the number, with date, variety ant
number of eggs set, a complete recort
can be kept and mistakes avoided.
In our own experience we seldom i
ever disturb setting hen. The latte
understands her business as rule. |
ON the twenty-frst day no chickens ap
pear, we carefully examine the eggs. |
soiled we wash them in tepid water ant
replace all those indicating life unde
the hen. We have known eggs to hatcl
rs late as the twenty-fourth day, bu
prefer chickens Matched on the twenty
first day always. Cochins and Brahma
usually require full time, and oftcl
twenty-five days is necessary befor
| they begin to break the shells. One o
the safest rules for testing eggs just be
| fore Matching is to place the small en-,
on the human eyelid. A live chicken il
the egg will be indicated by the warmtl
at this end. Added eggs and those wit
dead chickens will be perfectly cold.