. Agriculture; a text for the school and the farm . he time they are stored before setting. They should neverbe jarred or shaken. Hatching with the hen.—Eggs may be successfullyhatched either with a hen or an incubator. If the hatch isnot to consist of more than from one hundred to two hun-dred chicks, and if the hens come of a breed of good setters,it is doubtful whether it pays to use an incubator. Only quiet, motherly hens of good disposition should beused for setting. The nest should be made of a box fromfourteen to sixteen inches square, and six inches deep. Fourinches of earth should be
. Agriculture; a text for the school and the farm . he time they are stored before setting. They should neverbe jarred or shaken. Hatching with the hen.—Eggs may be successfullyhatched either with a hen or an incubator. If the hatch isnot to consist of more than from one hundred to two hun-dred chicks, and if the hens come of a breed of good setters,it is doubtful whether it pays to use an incubator. Only quiet, motherly hens of good disposition should beused for setting. The nest should be made of a box fromfourteen to sixteen inches square, and six inches deep. Fourinches of earth should be placed in the box, hollowed slight-ly, and covered with chaff or straw. The broody hen shouldbe removed to the nest at night and given a few china eggs rOULTRY 355 for a Qay or two to make sure that she Is in earnest aboutsitting. From thirteen to fifteen eggs may then be givenher for the hatch. It is well to dust both hen and nest withinsect powder to destroy vermin. The sitting hen shouldbe well fed on such grains as corn, wheat, or oats, have. A home-made egg tester. plenty of fresh water, and be let off the nest a short timp^ach day for «xercise and a dust bath. 356 AGRICULTURE Hatching with the incubator.—Although there aremany different makes of incubators, they all supply the heatnecessary for hatching by one of two methods, either hotair, or hot water. All of the standard makes will be foundsatisfactory, though the hot-air type seems less likely to getout of order. Success with the incubator depends much more on theoperator than the machine. For unless the temperature andventilation are kept right, the eggs properly turned, andother necessary conditions met, the hatch is sure to directions supplied with the machine must be faith-fully followed, else one need not hope for success. Testing for infertile eggs.—About the sixth day aftersetting the eggs should be tested and the infertile ones re-moved. The testing may be done by placing a small lampor a lante
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