. The chick book. Poultry. THE SITTER AND HER BROOD, Making the Nest and Setting the HenâFeeding and Caring for the Hen and ChicksâA Satisfactory Coop and Runway. By Mrs. S. E. Hurlbut. THE best thing I have ever found in which to set hens is an empty barrel. Cut a hole nine inches from the bottom end. Make this hole seven inches wide and nine inches high. Put about three inches of dirt in the bottom, leaving it about level. Put in a double handful of tobacco stems or waste tobacco, laying it level, then put in enough fine hay or straw to make a good nest. Put a couple of china eggs in the nes
. The chick book. Poultry. THE SITTER AND HER BROOD, Making the Nest and Setting the HenâFeeding and Caring for the Hen and ChicksâA Satisfactory Coop and Runway. By Mrs. S. E. Hurlbut. THE best thing I have ever found in which to set hens is an empty barrel. Cut a hole nine inches from the bottom end. Make this hole seven inches wide and nine inches high. Put about three inches of dirt in the bottom, leaving it about level. Put in a double handful of tobacco stems or waste tobacco, laying it level, then put in enough fine hay or straw to make a good nest. Put a couple of china eggs in the nest and put in the hen. Stand the bar- rel on end and put a board across the top for shelter and to darken the nest, so it is more secluded. This also prevents the hen from flying upon the top where she is liable to foul the nest and eggs. If the hen is uneasy put a board or wire screen in front of the hole in the barrel so that she cannot get out for a day or bo. Let her sit on the china eggs for a couple of days so that the nest will be thoroughly warm, then put the eggs under her. Keep plenty of good clean water and ground corn where she can get it and give her a chance for a dust bath. If you have a shed or vacant coop where the ground is dry the bath is assured. You can place several of these nests side by side, as the barrel gives seclusion so that the hens cannot see each other. After the lien has been sitting about a week dust her with some good lice killer, and dust again a few days before hatching time is due. The cover can be lifted from the bar- rel to do the dusting and if for any reason you wish to take the hen off the nest you can lift her out without disturbing the eggs. Leave the chicks in the nest at least twenty-four hours after they are hatched, and it is well enough to put a piece of board in front of the entrance, so that the chicks cannot fall out. It often happens that, if one of the chicks gets out and peeps loudly, the hen will leave the nest and brood
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Keywords: ., bookauthorre, bookcentury1900, bookdecade1900, booksubjectpoultry
