The islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1891-1899, 1897-03-25
EARLY CHICKS ON THE FARM.

At this season those who do not own
incubators watch anxiously for the
first setting hen. There may be begin.
ners to whom a few hints in regard to
the management of these natural incu-
bators will not come amiss. While ex-
perience isdoubtless an excellent teach.
er, one can be saved absolute failures
and helped over many hard places.
The first essential thing Is to get the
hen to set, and this Is not o matter OF
luck or chance, but Of systematic care
In feeding and shelter. A poorly hous-
ed, carelessly fed hen will not make a
WINTER layer, and the winter Myer is
the early setting hen.
A warm house, not necessarily heat
ed artificially, but tight and coinforta-
bic, where all the food will not be need
ed IN creating animal heat, is the first
requirement If one wishes to keep hens
for profit.
Better results will be had by chang
Ing feed offer than by continuous diet
OF any one grain, but in cold weather
warm all feed. Give three meals day
but not too much at time. A warm
mash in the morning, seasoned with
salt and red pepper, with q little char
coal and sulphur added once a week.
At noon vegetables, table scraps, meat
and ground or crushed bones. At
night, which should be the largest
meal, whole grain; and at all times
have clean water and grit before them.
Housed fowls need exercise. Litter
the floor with straw or chaff, If obtasn-
able. Scatter the food i'm it and make
them scratch for it. When raw meat
is fed. hang it high enough to make
them Jump for it. Feed corn without
or break the ears into
small pieces. Two valuable but little
used grains are buckwheat and sum
flower seed.
When hen becomes broody leave
her OH the nest of her choosing at least
two nights. Meanwhile prepare box
for her in some quiet place free from
frost, which will generally be the Gel
lar for early setters. Sprinkle the box
well with air-slacked Line, insect pow
der or wood ashes. Never use kerosene
about eggs if you wish them to hatch.
The best foundation for nest lisa piece
Of sOd-wlien that cannot be had sub
stitute earth from the vegetable bins,
mOisten this, add little chaff or straw
and put in few nest eggs, and have a
Slated cover for the nest. When sure
the hen is ready dust her we'll with i'll
sect powder and remove her to this new
nest quietly, throwing cloth over the
top to exclued the light and leave her
to become accustomed to the new quar-
tiers. A hen really in the mood for set
ting will yield gracefully to circumstan-
ces and can soon be trusted with her
eggs.
If possible remove the nest eggs aud
slip the others under her without TAX
ing her from the nest. Once in twenty
four hours is often enough to feed
setting hen, and some will not leave
the nest as often as this. Place food
and water within sight of the hen, re-
move the cover and let her act her own
pleasure. Until thoroughly accustom-
ed to her new nest the hen should be
replaced and covered after each feed
ing.
Feed the setting hens all the corn
they will eat, little green food and
plenty of grit and water. Once or
twice during the setting dust the hen
with insect powder, and,
1t possible, give her access to a dust
bath. At the end of seven days sprink-
lie the eggs with lukewarm water.
During the second week sprinkle twice,
and during the third week moisten the
eggs at least every other day, this will
greatly aid the chicks in getting out of
the shell.
Never handle the eggs if 1t can be
avoided, but, should one be broken,
all soiled by it should be removed,
carefully washed and the nest thor
Oughly cleansed before they are re-
placed. When the Matching begins
remove the pieces of shell. If should
happen that one or two chicks are
Matched twelve hours before the other
eggs are picked it may be we'll to re-
move them from the nest, lest they be
injured by the eggs rolling upon them.
If this is necessary, wait until the
chick is dry, then place in a box with a
warm lining and cover with cloth.
When the eggs are all Matched place
these chicks under the hen at night.
Never feed young chicks until they
manifest their hunger.-M. L. Lord.