Show ilen EGG MAKERS GO CIO ON A STRIKE broody liens hens represent an ic los loss i when not needed for hatching methods to be used to overcome bi oddness in a recent radio talk raymond hitchcock stated that even though he called all his hens together and scolded them severely they still re fused to lay eggs tor for him not many people would employ the famous comedian comedians s method tor for trying to get eggs but many of the ways used to break hens of broodiness are just as ridiculously ineffective it Is really important that better ways of overcoming bloodiness broodiness are to be known A broody hen Is an unprofitable hen especially where incubators do all the hatching con the sooner her broodiness can be broken the sooner she can begin once more to earn her board and lodging it Is a mistake to frighten a broody hen by tying red ribbons to her tail tall plunging her into cold wa ter or confining her in a closed box without food water or light such methods belong to the dark ages of 0 poultry raising they do not act bally cure bloodiness boo diness but only put the hen in poor flesh and health the only way to get a hen out of this condition Is to get her mind off the subject so to speak so she will once more begin eating and drink ing in a hormal fashion one good way to accomplish this Is to confine one or more broody hens in a small coop with a vigorous male broodiness can also be easily and humanely overcome through the use of broody coops the important thing in using such a coop Is to get the broody hen into it the very first da day y she shows any signs of that condl conill tion it if this Is done she will tor for get her broodiness in less than halt half the time tint that will be needed if she la is allowed to staffon the nest two three or fou days the longer the broodiness Is allowed to continue the harder it 3 i to overcome and the greater will be the loss of egg pro I 1 sha I 1 describe two brood y coops that I 1 have found excel tio tlona nally lly effective for just one I 1 en make a coop 2 by 2 by 2 feet the sides are to be of slats for ventilation and the top solid tor for protection using a single rope or wire tas fas tended to the center of the top hang this coop from any convenient ratter rafter or from a branch of a tree such a coop will sway with every gust of wind and with every step the hen takes that will keep her so busy trying to re tain her balance that she soon tor for gets her broodiness the second form of broody coop I 1 wish to describe may be used with good effect when a number of hens decide to go on a strike at about the same time this coop should be 3 by 4 or 4 by 5 feet lect and 2 feet deep the sides should be made of slats or poultry netting and the floor either slatted or solid A good roof should be provided and should extend far enough on each side to give good protection from rain this coop is to be at least 2 or 8 3 feet oft off the ground to allow for good circulation of air all around the hens this is very important as broody hens are to be kept cool from three to six hens may be placed in this coop and kept in it day and night it should be put in a cool shady spot instead of in the sun plenty of good teed feed and clean wa ter should be kept within easy reach of broody hens the whole time they are confined in the broody coop this is very important and should not be neglected under any circum stances hens so confined constantly fuss among themselves which tends to make them forget their broodiness seeing other fowls at liberty atao also helps considerably to speed up the end of broody spells this method s should hould have the desired effect alln flom three to five days it la Is a par ticul arly good method not only be cause of its effectiveness but be cause it Is humane f J t better than any method of curing broodiness Is the plan tor for ing it now being successfully used by many poultry raisers with careful breeding it is possible to develop a strain of non sitters or hens that will not go broody only hens that do not lot go broody should be used tor for breeding and if it care is used in se electing just the fight hens broodo ness can be e practically eliminated in a few generations A broody hen unless needed tor for 1 I 1 ahching eggs Is simaly a nl ni and an unnecessary nuisance at that it is so easy to break up the habit that there is no reason why it ta is to be tolerated and a great many reason that every poultry ralser raiser well knows why it should not be ted but ta to be successful ful do not make the mistake of using the harsh methods once so much in vogue the right way Is always the best and cheapest that Is why I 1 mend sane humane methods of cur lag ing broodiness they work along ida effs iffs f scientific lines by not trying to scare the hen but be replacing the idea of 0 something else in the hens hen s mind copyright 1929 by dr L D le gear st louis mo |