Bisbee daily review., 1912-02-18
PRACTICAL HINTS FOR
 POULTRY BREEDERS
 N'1 ES

Nearly every breeders method of handling young chicks possesses some element Of excellence that we would all like ts know of. consequently an intercRange of experience is of great benefit to us all. It is said that ne cessity is the mother of invention, and undoubtedly that old lady is re- sponsible in a large measure for the system we follow. For many years our chicken raising was on limited scale for recreation and home use on ly, and, of course the old hen was our incubator, and on the whole she is entitled to much more credit than some seem inclined to give her in this rapid age of expansion and advance ment. But the "Old Hen was all right, and is yet, as far as her capaci ty goes, and if rightly handled sne will do a pretty good stroke of busi- ness, even as late as the year 1912. One great complaint against her as an incubator was her unwillingness 10 incubate when you wanted her, and on this point we have largely to blame ourselves. Ut was hardly to be expected that bullets hatched in May or June, when a large portion Of the chicks are raised, would mature, early enough to make early setters. For a number of years I had little diff ficulty getting hens to set early. but always make it a point to get my pull lets matched in March or early in April, and generally they were laying early, and early layers generally fur nish a good percentage of early set ters. At the time l was using hens for matching my time was generally limited to about one hour forenoon, and as the days are short in winter, it was necessary to care for the set ting hens during the noon hour, and after some study l adopted the follow. ing rule: After constructing a build ing SKIP. feet, with low roof, diyid- ed it into six small pens of about two feet each, with a covered nest in each pen. At the rear was left a passage way of about two feet to give access to the nests, which were or the ground. and each season everything was removed from the building, even to the earth floor, and new filling to the depth of six or more inches was put in before cold weather When the hens began to be broody, and 1t is never best to be in too big a hurry to move a broody hen in winter time. the nests were prepared by slightly hOl- moving the earthly bottom and GOV ering lightly with chsff or fine straw. We then took a brick and after heat ing in the stove placed it in the nest Tor fifteen or twenty minutes This warmed the earth and made it com fortable and ''Biddy' usually took kindly to it at once. The transferring always was done at night. and for the first day or two a few china nest eggs were placed under her 10 test her sin cerity. If carefully handled and not too soon after she showed signs of broodiness, she generally settled down to business at once, and then the eggs were given her. In the win ter season l have always had best re- suits when using hens Go conline them to the nests and take them of daily for food and water and perchance dust b3th. To economic time at neon. al which time they were always cared for, my first trip was 10 their coop, where each was carefully lifted from the nest. care being taken not to pun any Of the eggs Oif with the hen. as sometimes the eggs would get up under her wing and unless care is taken they may be broken in this way
 All the hens were thus taken from