Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1918-04-28
If Time PRESSES, LET
B|DDY RAISE FAMILY
hcubators, However. Give Hens
Z More Time for Egg Pro-
luCtiOn.
vER,uN CHICKS WORST FOE
Weakened 10y Pests, Birds Fall Easy
Prey to niSca>c-ficns Should Re
Provided With Convenient, Well.
Carcl-EUr Nests.
ny N. ARMSTRONG ROBERTS.


Artificial incubation and broodinG
are 10 be .rccommcndcd because OF their
cronomy..l They save the hens time, and
IN so doing the hen is enabled to pro-
ducc InoIe eggs. Very often. however
II IS more important 10 save the poul-
try Keepers time as in tho case OF
farmers and backyard growers in which
event the business OF rearing young
stock is left entirely TO Mistress
Biddy.
Though incubatcrs are widely used
on farms II is not likely that they will
entirely replace hens, because the hens
arc capable of looking after Matching
and hroodiuG details with virtually no
outside attention. Unfortunately, the
Matching season comes at a time when
farm work, blowing and planting, is
most pressing. To escape tho respon-
sbil,tcs OF looking after an incubator,
the farmer prefers 20 depend upon his
hens. knowing that they are gully COM
potent 10 secure results. if not 50 eco
nomicaily. at least as thoroughly, as
the machine.
1t is a mistake. however. TO ignore
the hens completely. Unless the quar-
tcrs Intended for The sitting hens are
convenient. sanitary and comfortable,
not alone for the hens. but for the per-
son who feeds them, it is likely that
the results Will be disappointing. The
hens will do ;hcir part, providing they
are given the opportunity. and il is this
opportunity which is SO often neg
lccted.
HEN HAS GOOD NEST
JUSTLY COMING TO HER
On farms where little or no attention
is paid to the chickens, it is customary
10 allow the hens TO steal their nests in
sometimes in the hanhoUSe, under the
barn. IN the loft. OF in barrels or boxes
scattered ahout tho barnyaru. This
h!t-or-miss plan neither gives comfo7;
10 the hen nor security 10 her brood
ii is wrong. The sitting hen Is entitled
10 Just as much consideration as the
brood mare or COW Aside from the hu-
manity involved, 20 treat animals de-
gently IS tile only way 10 obtain the
fun benefit OF their efficiency.
II is a mistake 10 allow The sitters
To bring of their matches In the regu-
La poui,ry-housc along with ,hc res
q the :!osh. IN the frs; place the
sitting hens are almost certain 10 lie
pit;iessly to-rrented by the other fowls
The layers VII! fSh; for Yossesslu. o.
the s!ttcrs' nests, lay in them some
times drive The rishttul owners of the
nests entirely or break their eggs
which IS no: only a loss in itse... but
the presence % broken eggs seriously
endansers the safety Of the rest OF The
hatch. There : also the risk or allow
iHS tvesh-laid eggs TO become heated
and spoiled ~ the s.t.ers or Of re!nov-
ing the Matching eggs IN mistake for
fresh esss or il the nests are en-
iirely ignored. IL is l:kcly tina; the
.ayers viii II! them TO overflow with
their cess, masking u impossib.. for
,he sitting hens 70 cover The real natcli-
ing eGss. In which case ;hey arc ca!.!ed
and the hatch IS failure.
Then, again. hens set n tie poultry
house are more arc 70 be troubled with
vcrm'n than Il they are given a clean.
new nest OF their own somewhere else
This is an important consideration.
FEW POULTRY PLANTS
ENTIRELY NERMIN-pRooI,
We Ike 10 think that our :ocks and
houses arc free from lice and mites.
out free from those pests they seldom
are Make no mistake on this point.
o ceiCGe ourselves on this score Is
70 invite trouble ana losses The brood
IS 10 sooner hatcheI than 1t becomes
infested With ve"min hoth from the
mother hen and from the nesting ma.
tetsal Nothing IS more devastating
inc chicks are weakened. thefr growth
ana devcloDmeut arc dWarfcd Tb.y