The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1929-11-07
Brooding Hens Should
Be Properly Cared for
Maximum Degree of Success by
the Intelligent Assisting of
Nature

VIC 1uCcLlScHC Assisting Oh
Nature
The question which is best, hen
or incubator, has been discussed
pro and con almost as much as that
prime favorite of old time high
school debating societies: Which
came first, the chicken or the egg?"
The real solution of the problem de-
ponds largely on circumstances. For
number of reasons, the CONNER
clal poultry raiser is forced to use
the incubator. For the owner of the
average back yard or farm flock.
however it often happens that hens
Will serve the purpose just as well
and for much smaller outlay. I'm
like the commercial breeder, he
can usually afford to wait until
hens are broody and the problem of
securing enough broody hens for
his entire hatch is not very often
encountered.
AS far as results are concerned,
one method is as good as the other
If proper methods are employed
First of all, considerable care
should be exercised in the selection
of hens used for Matching eggs. The
following points are very import
ant. The hen should have a well
developed broody inclination;
should be even tempered, free from
nervousness and not too offensive
when approached while setting. A
yearling or two-year-old is more de-
pendable than pullet; never use
pullets if you can avoid it. Use on
ly hens that are large enough to
thoroughly cover the desired numb
er of eggs with little to spare.
Use only healthy, vigorous hens, in
good flesh and having bright eyes
and red combs.
Eggs should not be put under any
hen until she has shown well de-
veloped and it is a good plan to
put several china eggs under her
ladyship at first and confine her to
the nest for a day or two. If at
the end of the second day she still
shows unmistakable signs of brood
mess, remove the china eggs and
give her the eggs to be Matched. Let
her feel the eggs under her be-
fore releasing her. Then confine her
to the nest for a day or two so
that there will be no danger of her
deserving her trust.
A setting hen should be given a
place to herself where she cannot
be disturbed by other hens trying
tot crowd into the nest with her
When it is necessary to set hens
indoors, each one should have an
individual run fenced off with
chicken wire. If that is not prac-
tical, hens must be confined to
their nests and only released at
regular intervals so they can eat
and exercise. Unless this plan is
followed, you will often find two or
more hens crowded onto one nest
with eggs growing cold in the 9TH
er nests.
high ground with sufficient drainage
all around, nests may be placed di-
rectly on the ground. Scoop out
a depression so the nest can be
properly shaped to keep the eggs
from rolling out. If conditions
make it necessary to have a floor
in the coop, sod or loose dirt can
be used to support the outer edges
of the nest. Better still, make the
nest in a box about inches deep
and Is inches square for ordinary
breeds. For Asiatics, nest boxes
should be from 10 to 20 inches
square Pack sod or earth in the
corners to round them out. Then
arrange your nesting material in
side the depression so formed. The
use of sod or earth is advisable be-
cause it helps to conserve the mois-
ture so necessary during incuba-
ton.
To my mind, the ideal nesting
material is clean fine straw or hay.
It is difficult to shape a nest with
long coarse straw. Leaves are
sometimes used for nests and are
quite satisfactory.
Having provided the hen with
adequate nesting facilities, the
next consideration is to provide
proper food and exercise. The hen
should be permitted to leave her
nest occasionally to eat and exer-
else, but must not be allowed to
stay off the eggs until they get
chilled. Feed her equal parts of
wheat and corn on the ground or in
a pan near the nest, but feed no
mash. Provide plenty of pure fresh
water, grit and charcoal. The set
ting hen will usually leave her nest
once a day for feed and water. If
she does not, take her off and close
the nest so she cannot get back too
soon If she stays away too long, J
take her gently away from the
food and put her back on the
nest. If the weather is rather cool. |
she should not leave the eggs more |
than 10 or 20 minutes. In mild
weather she may stay away some |