Poultry.

New Zealand Mail, Issue 998, 17 April 1891, Page 25

Poultry.

SITTING AND HITCHING. Aa the season is now approaching for flifc* ting and hatching, the following will doubt* be useful to many readers. To begin, then, opinions vary regarding the proper way to sit bens, for some persons prefer a nest on tho ground in a damp situation, others always set their birds in as dry h place as possible. I have found it the best way to imitate nature as far as possible, for, as a rule, bens tha, choose their own nests usually bring off large broods. . , , ' . If a hen that is sitting m a stolen nest is watched, it will be observed that she chooses a dry seolnded spot for her nest, and though the ground may be dry when she selects her nest, the heat from her body draws a certain moisture from the ground to the eggs, which, of course, is very gradual; she also leaves her ne3t early in the morning to search for herfood, and, as the grass is then wet with the dew, the bird’s breast gets wet also, and in this state she returns to her eggs, and consequently damps them. It will therefore be seen that it is best to make the nest on the ground, but to hide it from the other fowls. Where possible, a separate house should be used for sitting, and tho hens left quite to themselves. . The best way to make the nest is by scooping out a little earth from the floor, and then beating the soil quite firm in the shape of a ne3t. Where the earth cannot be removed, a fs w shovelfuls should be obtained, and moulded into the same shape in an ordinary nest box, a turf being placed on the top and well beaten into shape. It is easier to make a nest with loose earth than with a turf, and it is well to sprinkle a little lime in the nest and beat it in with the bands. Then if the soil is damp, it forms a crust and holds well together. The nest should, be made quite round, 60 that all the eggs get covered if the hen shifts her position ; it should be hollowed somewhat in the centre, in order that the eggs come together and do not roll out of reach when the fowl steps into the nest. Plenty of room must be allowed, as when a bird is cramped in sitting ths eggs are apt to get broken. The nest should be made of soft fine hay, the inside being lined with feathers just at the bottom in cold weather. Hay is much better than straw, as it lies more closely together, and therefore retains the warmth better, and the hen may be allowed more eggs. Straw being hollow, conducts the cold air to the eggs, especially in frosty weather. When it is required to set fowls in a strange nest, it is best to put them on the new one at night unless very tame. Anyhow they shonld not be forced or hurried, but ought to be placed in front of the nest they are to occupy, with a few common eggs in it, when they will generally take to it at once, and if not disturbed again too soon, they will stick to it and sit well. Some hens, however, will not sit in a strange nest, and the only thing to be done with them is to just allow them to have their own way, or else not to set them at all. Hens that have travelled a journey should be put in a coop and fed well with hard corn and water, and then be placed on their nest in the evening, and covered in so that they are partly in the dark and shonld not be taken off the next day, but the day after. This enables them to get well settled down before being disturbed. For the first few days they shonld he fed in a coop or other small place; if not they become too wild, and will not go baok to their nest. They should be handled very gently. It is well to place the feeding crop before the nest, so that the hen may see it; she will then return straight to her eggs. I cannot state the number of eggs that Bbonld be allowed a hen, as both the heu and eggs differ so much in size, and a great deal also dependß on the 3tate of the weather; but, for fair sized hens, about thirteen ordinary eggs will be sufficient in the early spring, and a larger number may be given in warmer weather. I have set twenty four eggg under one hen, and hatched out twenty two chickens ; but this is far too many as a rule, and if any doubt is felt as to the number to give a hen it is best to be on the safe side and give one too few ; for if a hen has too many eggs she may let a different one get cold every time she tarns them, and thus spoil the whole batch. When the nest is made without soil or turf, the outer skin of the egg beoomes very dry during the last week of incubation, and the chickeoa usually hatch out very badly, and often one half do not even crack their shell. To prevent this occurring, it is best to moisten the egg 3 slightly during the last few days. In moderate weather cold water will do to wet the eggs with, bnt in cold weather it is best to use warm. I And it best to dip them in warm water and let them remain in for one or two seconds. This during the last three or five days of incubation is sufficient. Shonld the hen break any of the eggs, they should be removed immediately, and if any portion of the broken egg gets on the others, it shonld at once be wiped or washed off in warm water at once, as when it drys it stops the pores of the shell, thus preventing the air passing through to the chick. The hen should be lifted off the nest every morning; and about the third morning she will stand when her attendant goes to her. Care mast be taken in lifting the hen, which must bo done by placing a hand under each wing to make Bnre that there are no eggs lodged there, and then take hold of the legs with the fingers and lift steadily, letting the wings rest on the wrists. Some hens where they are not confined will not require to be lifted off their nest, but will come off regularly when hungry. In cold weather the hen Bhonld not bo allowed to stay off the nest more than fifteen minutes, bat in warm weather she may be ont from forty to sixty minutes, bat the nest should be closed to prevent the other bens from going in in the meantime, and in very cold weather it is well to cover up the eggs with a niece of flannel or wadding to prevent them getting chilled.

The question Is constantly being asked, what is a good thing to feed young chickens upon? and it is. a most natural question. Give them canary seed for the firat few days, then grits, and follow on with ground white oats, sifted and worked up with water, dry ough to crumble.