The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1892-05-06
Ahoat Oessanw msss.

1t Is during the balmy month Of Nay
that nine-tenths Of she fsathsrsd king
dom bring forth their yssng. Il 10
natures own month. For this reason
May is the most successful one for the
Matching and rearing Of young chicks,
and the setting hen is quite apropos.
There are few who know, or realize
when told, the extent Of the poultry In
dustry in this country, and when inform
ed that it amounts In dollars and cents
to more than the cattle industry are
prone to doubt 1t. Such. however, 10
really the fact. Aud while the average
country paper devotes more or less space
to giving its farmer readers points on
the breeding and rearing Of cattle. sheep,
horses and swine. few pay bot little At
tention to the great American hen that,
with the family COW, often supplies the
family with groceries when the balance
of the stock on the farm are, perhaps.
eating their heads OF. 1t is true. also,
that on the great majority Of farms but
little attention is paid to the flock of
hens except by the women folks; and
the readiness with which the flock adopt
themselves to their not very comfortable
circumstances only paves the way
to greater Indifference OF the men folks.
This applies particularly to the spring of
the year, when, as the Matching season
approaches, the setting hen is allowed to
60 as you please, often spending q couple
Of months or so Matching and brooding
two or three scrub chickens.
When the writer was q boy It was Q
common notion that colts turned out
for the winter to rustic for themselves
in some wooded pasture lot would come
out in better shape in the spring. This
idea has been generally exploded as the
science Of stock breeding has advanced,
and the supposltion by many that the
setting hen cannot be taught few
things and will not pay to look after, in
dollars and cents, should also be dis
casded. This may not apply strongly
with mixed lot OF scrubs, but when the
flock is composed Of good layers and
market fowls each additional chick
hatched means cash. 1t is for this
reason, therefore, that the GRAPHIC here
In devotes considerable space to a few
pointers on the Matching of chickens.
Josh Billings is credited with saying,
Don't set hen until she's ready" to
xuhi oh xut. ,vi If odd. 11I,n, , ho, r. r,,d,
to set make her, With hen two years
old or over very ii:tle trouble is ever ex-
perienced In obtaining good hatch;
when unsatisfactory results toi.oa it is
usually due to other hens bo.hering or
by the hen leaving the eggs toe long ex-
posed on some cold day. Pullets are
very apt to leave their nests too long if
left free, aud it may be set down
as certainty that even with the most
reliable sitters unsatisfactory matches
often result when tho hen is not watched
closely. It is an undeniabls fact, of
course, that hen that steals her nest
comes OF with . full brood, but the
farmer Or othe. poultry raiser who
thinks BY allowing his hens to set any
and everywhere In kind Of a free and
easy way will not raise one-half the
chickens as he who looks after the
brooding hens. For these reasons al
ways select a room or building apart
for the setting hens. The most conyen-
lent nest is one made OF box about Is
inches square. Remove the cover and
fasten 1t on again with leather hinges
OF nail two inch strips srould the sides
Of the top 50 that by slipping shingle
between the strips the hen can Be fast
ened in. In fixing the nest lev the box
on Its side and in it place . shovel full
OF dirt and shape the dirt into the form
of nest. A sod followed out makes .
aice nest. The dirt keeps The eggs st
an even temperature in cold weather sad
supplies moisture to the eggs u dry
weather. Now cover the dirt with las
chat OF hay. the Rner aad softer the
better. The nest shoulA - - sAaDsA
that The eggs srs not liable b roll slt
froa under the hen and get chilled. In
cool weather 10 eggs viii give nags
satisfactory hatch thsa greater naH-
Der. and the most sxpsrienced poultry.
men maintain that 10 egg Will make .
better average hatch. The egRs are eon-
stantly being changed about under .
hen. and II not properly covered enc
will get chilled. then another. and % o.,
till eventually nearly all ere s,silsG.
when hen shows bFoody dispsaitioa
leave here on the nsst shs sslseAs fsg q
day or two and after preparing The bsx
place several eggs IN Il. sst Il % The
floor where you propose 70 Ut he -
and at night remove the hen to hsr ne1
quarters. Shut hsein the box and ovss
1t throw . blanket or ether covering. n
an old hen she will prObably b found
perfectly contented the next day, bat IN
case Of . puliet It may b necessary b
keep the nest covered for several days
When she seems eontsated. which will
b. In 48 hours at the most, remove the
trial eggs at night and under hsf plsee
those vented for the hatch. II ssanon
4 eggs the hen might b set % them al
the start q In case Of trouble q bssak.