The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1905-04-27
The Setting Hen and Her Chicks.

NNtur8l llCuDatlOu mucV uOt Uc ueR-
lected, for no matter how many mod
ern inventions for converting eggs into
chickens the Home" may boast, Bid
dy takes precedence for rearing future
stock, and for Matching small numbers
OF ducks. geese, or turkey eggs.
Do not think that Biddy must be al
lowed to remain in the nest she claims
in the chicken house, for such arrange
ment always breeds trouble; every hen
will desire to lay in that particular
nest even if there are twenty others
vacant; then if Mrs. Biddy is Of pugi-
listic disposition, there are fights and
broken eggs. If she be of the angelic
type and allows intruders to crowd into
her nest, she gathers the eggs to her
motherly breast and The warmth soon
renders them unfit for table use.
To avoid all trouble of ithis kind, de-
vote some small building to the exclu-
sive use of setting hens, where they
will be free from all disturbing iuflu-
ences. Arrange nestboxes with hay in
them all around the sides. In tn cen
ter of the floor two boxes filled with
fine ashes for the settlers to battle in are
needed, as well as a drinking fountain
and pan filled with whole cor nmixed
with sharp grit, four portions of the
former to one of the latter. Fill up
the pan and water fountain every
morning. Cut large turnip or cabbage
i'll half and fix it between stones, so as
to keep the cut side firmly uppermost
for the fowls to peck at-then whenever
hunger assails any of the occupants of
the house they can eat and return to
their seats without attention from you.
Droppings must of course be removed
every day and the ash baths emptied
and refilled twice week.
There is also another time and trou-
ble-saving device. We now use sort
OF cage three feet long, two feet wide,
and one and half high, made of shin
gle Stats covered around the sides, ends,
and top with two-inch mesh netting,
which is placed over the nest when the
hen is first set, if she seems at all rest
less. Some hens always have to have
the cage kept over them, or after feed
ing they 60 into the wrong nest, leav-
ing their own. Obviously, when the
cage is used, food, water and all the
needs must be placed inside.
Now the question arises - how to
know when hen is DESTROYS to set. l
still remember with shame my own
stupidity on this simple point.
Among the first hens l owned was an
old Plymouth Rock that soon claimed
special notice, for every time / went to
feed she came flying off nest, and an
egg met my delighted gaze. Two eggs
day from one hen! 1t was phenome.
nal! Such thing was never heard of
Day after day for two weeks!
Then one day the old Dutch woman
who came to do the wash was hanging
out clothes when | went to feed at
noon. Pride prompted me to point out
the record breaker and explain her
wonderful value.
Old Reika grunted out,
"Nein-dose Rocques aind't no gut,
only to sedt."
;'Only to set," was my naughty com.
ment, "why she lays two eggs day.
'Himmel sturmvetter!" Oh, the
look of amused contempt on that Old
Dutch face.
'Maybe she kheeps de nechst vorhm
aber, but it vos some oddhor vaoul vot
lays dose eggs-don't it,"
Reika was right. My wonderful,
record breaking hen was nothing but a
broody old Biddy hen with such a greedy
disposition that she flew off her nest
every time food came in sight.
Profit by this experience.
When you see the same hen on a
nest each time you 60 into the coop, it
is sign she is getting broody. If she
is still there when you lock up for the
night, she is ready to be set. Some
broody hens do not get off the nest at
feed time. Under these circumstances,
you must slip your hand under the hen
and abstract whatever eggs you can
feel This needs courage, for some
hens peck and scold in 4 way that is
alarming to a city woman. Others
keep quite still until your hand is near
them, then dash off the nest shrieking
and screaming until every bird OH the
premises joins in the uproar
Being sure of broody hen, go into
the house when it is almost dark stoop
down in front of the nest and place
your hands over Biddy, the thumbs
meeting between the shoulders, the
fingers passing under the body and
picking up the feet. In this way she is
easily removed without any fright be
ing caused to the other inmates of the
ASNoSs S0AAy llCA OuVoAAS, uiVu AlOlA Ny
the feet, head down, and proceed to
dust her feathers thoroughly with
insect powder from the dredge. When
it has been we'll rubbed in, gather her
up in your hands in the same position
as when you took her from the nest
and hold her until she is quiet again.
Then place her over the nest and free
your fingers from her claws, letting her
feel the eggs, releasing her gradually
as you feel her settle down on the nest.
All this handling must be accomplish
ed as nearly as possible in the dark, and
as it is not always convenient to do it
during the short time of dusk, lantern
must be fixed for night work; paint all
but strip of the glass with black paint.
AS the moving and powdering are
likely to make the hen restless, three
or four china nest eggs are put into the
nest at first; then, when she has settled
down to business, it is an easy matter
the next evening to change the dunn
mics and slip real eggs under her. The
ordinary sitting of hens eggs is thir-
teen in number, but a large hen can
safely be given fifteen, especially as the
weather becomes warmer.
About the seventh and fifteenth days
q tho catt;pn hoo borup tho hon