South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1917-05-19

more or less. She is a cheap and
very efficient Matching machine for
thousands who have not enough
business 10 warrant the use Of the
artificial method.
When comparatively few chicks
are needed TO replenish the flock.
and on many farms where time and
help are lacking. the sitting hen
should be carefully studied and used
TO the best advantage.
The "termagant'' should be skip
ped. The true mother spirit is of
great importance with hens as with
folks. Some broody hens are rough
in their ways. They seem 70 have no
regard for the safety of either eggs
or chickens. Such hens are likely
20 break the eggs on which you place
them. and If they succeed in hatch
ing any chicks, they are likely TO
crush them TO death with their
bodies. trample them to death, or
kill them outright by striking them
with their beaks.
The fitness Of the hen for mother
hood must be judged by signs. The
gentle, but firm and faithful bird. is
the one to select. She should be in
perfect health and Of good size.
She has a large task before her. 1t
will not pay TO waste time and pa
thence on a small. sickly, high tenn
pered bird There are plenty Of
them. There are also plenty of the
better kind.
II you haven't the right kind.
Many people are glad 10 sell sit
ting hen, or loan" her. Poultry
men are everywhere disposed TO ac-
commodate one another. A hen that
is really a successful mother is as
profitable for Matching and broOding
purposes as her 2O0-egg sister for
commercial egg production. Such a
kind. and tender and faithful mother
bird is worth keeping till she dies
of old age She may have small lay
ing powers. but eminent Matching
and brOOding talent. Find her and
make the most Of her.
Arranging the Sittcr's Nest.
It's a three weeks steady pull,
and more. That means wide ex-
tremes of weather-heat and cold,
wet and dry-the burning sun and
the drenching, chilling storm. II
means also dangers from vermin.
ranging from the deadly little spider
louise TO the weasel, the skunk and
the fox. not forgetting the rat.
Have all these things in mind.
and arrange the nest accordingly.
Let there be no possibility of danger
TO the brOoding bird under any con-
cefvable conditions. If you do not
thoroughly dust both nest and bird
with the best prOcurable insect
powder. there will be great danger
of her being literally bitten 10 death.
Thousands Of deadly mites will
hatch and mature in a marvelously
short time. They must be fore
stalled at the very beginning, or
your best laid schemes will prove
failures.
A thick sod turned earth side up
makes an excellent foundation for
the nest. Do not make the nest de-
preston too concave. lest the eggs
pile up in the center and break.
Place straw about one inch in thick
ness over the dirt This makes the
ideal brooding nest. A space two
bv four feet in addition TO the nest
space will furnish sufficient room
for eating and exercise once or twice
a day. IL is better that the sitter
should not run at large with other
fowls when off the nest. Keep
cracked corn and wheat, water and
-rits. with material for a daily dust
bath in the Matching pen all the
time. Arrange the nest so that IL
can be easily reached by the care
taker. But he should not reach
il too often.
Select Eggs With Much Care.
The eggs are your seed. You viii
reap what YOU SOW. II will take no
longer to hatch thoroughbred chicks
than 10 hatch mongrels. The for
mer will pay YOU back many times
over for the extra cost of eggs, not
only in dollars and cents. but in
pleasure and satisfaction. Look
about for the best full blood. heavy
LAYING strain OF fowls. Don't eN-
pect TO get such az eggs so cents a
dozen. You will get out of your
business what YOU are willing 20 put
into II. Try some well-bred stock
merely as an investment, and then
see that you make good.
Set fresh eggs-the fresher the
better. II is best that they should
not be more than two weeks old.
Two days will be better. The warm,
freshly laid eggs. still better. II
preserved any length Of time, the
temperature should not be above so
degrees. IL possible. Give as care
fuI thought to the handling or each
egg as YOU would II it were a fully
rnatured fowl Neglect OF eggs
causes failure with chicks, and
therefore with the mature birds.
Prenatal conditions count as much
with chicks as with humans.
When nest and eggs are all in
readiness. the sitter should be placed
on the nest after dark. Handle her
with gentle care. Place few china
eggs under her at first II she re-
mains true 10 her trust on the new
nest for a period OF "a hours the
eggs 10 be incubated may be given
her. Place three or four at a time
successfully about the edge Of the