The Florida agriculturist. [volume] (DeLand, Fla.) 1878-1911, 1893-12-13
EDITED BY e. W. AMsDEN
Editor Poultry Department.:

ducks, turkeys, and geese. am fond Of
the work, therefore [ make it a study
continually. / will tell you how I raise
chickens, and sometime in the future |
will write on raising other kinds of poul-
try. [ will begin by relating how set a
hen. Select healthy, gentle hen, of
medium size, not very large or heavy
one; get thirteen good fresh eggs, have
box two thirds full of clean dried pine
straw, or hay Il prefer the pine straw, as
insects do not thrive in it) put in three
or four eggs, then let the hen sit on
them. Give her the rest of the eggs as
she draws them under her. In warm
weather the nest should be cleansed once
a week, while the hen is off for food and
water. Remove the eggs carefully from
the nest aud have q small tin bucket
with cotton in the bottom, in which to
place the eggs; empty the straw out, and
burn it; brush the box carefully, replen-
ishing with clean straw. The third time
this is done let it be done two days before
the eggs are expected to pip. When
chicks are heard chirping, pass the right
hand directly in front of the hen, under
her breast, and if several chicks are
Matched, lift the hen off the nest by TAX
ing firm hold of one of her wings close up
to the body, while with the other hand
remove the empty shells. Then turn all
pipped eggs with the holes down SO that
the hen g toe nails cannot stick into
them. If all the eggs are not Matched in
"a hours after the first chick is Matched,
there is no use in keeping hen and chicks
in the nest. Put the hen and her little
family in clean, comfortable coop with
plank floor, so that the hen cannot
scratch and cover up the chicks with the
earth, aud that there may be no chance
for vermin to dig under. The hen now
needs nourishing food after sitting so
Iong-something fresh and green, such
as lettuce, onion tops, or tender grass,
water put in shallow tin pan so the
chicks can drink too. Put the pan close
in the corner so that it will not turn
over easily. Feed the chicks with coarse
grits we'll soaked in water, but not sour.
Occasionally sprinkle in a little red
pepper. Young chicks should be fed five
times day the first week of their lives,
Just little at time. Keep them cooped
up about three days. It is better to set
two hens at the same time. so, if the eggs
do not hatch well, all of the chicks
Matched may be given to one hen. Sew
eral times [ have given twenty five chicks
to one hen. Hens will not carry their
chicks long in the early spring, scarcely
long enough for them to get feathers.
One Feb, | had three hens to wean their
chicks. thirty-six in all, when only three
weeks old. The first night their mothers
left them, it being cold night, they all
huddled together in one coop. In the
middle OF tie night they SUITE red so with
the cold that they woke US up with their
chirping. My husband, feeling sorry for
them; got up and placed a Runny sack
over them, and they Immediately hushed
their racket and went to sleep. The
sack had to be placed over them every
night until they had feathers enough to
keep them warm. None OF them ever got
smothered, and l raised all OF those