Despite hens' stealing a nest under a shed or in a corner somewhere, such reproduction was far from random. Hatching rooms often were established in the corner of a barn or poultry house.
My grandmother had a small chicken house specially designed for hatching operations. In other operations, the hens were allowed to hatch in the main house with a crate or cage in front of their nests to allow them to eat, drink and exercise but not permit other hens to disturb them or lay into their clutch. Chickens with a normal or enhanced broody instinct will eventually set without any particular enticements.
To successfully accommodate a broody hen, a clutch of nest (artificial) eggs of wood or glass was introduced to stimulate the broody response. The hen was left on the nest eggs for 24 hours, to make sure she was serious about hatching. Hens that needed to be moved to the nest were moved at night and left for 24 hours to settle.
To set eggs of a particular breeding, or several hens at the same time, hens might need to set on the nest eggs longer, until the desired clutch of fertile eggs could be collected or their sister hens were ready to join them. With several families hatching at the same time, breeds could be combined. Those hens that were still in good condition and weight could receive another setting of eggs. The exchange of new eggs for chicks was usually made at night.
Not only was hatching well organized, the breeding programs of traditional poultry keepers were relatively simple, they were effective and they are still unsurpassed for small flocks.
Traditional Advantages
AModern commercial methods do not lend themselves to the care and management of self-perpetuating flocks. For those interested in producing quality poultry and eggs at home, for preservationists and exhibitors, traditional breeds and methods have the advantages of resilience, beauty and natural reproduction.
The Old Timers I knew growing up were concerned about the loss of traditional knowledge. Small flock owners can help preserve the old breeds and those traditional methods in their barnyards today.
An Applecore Media Group Subsidiary.
