MANAGEMENT OF FOWLS. 73 



be given at short intervals ; as much as they can swallow, as 

 often as they can eat. The reader will please to remember that 

 when he came into the world, all that was expected of him was 

 to grow and be good-natured. He had not to provide his long- 

 clothes out of his mother's milk, nor to elaborate pinafores 

 from a basin of soaked biscuit; but for poor little chickens, 

 the only known baby-linen warehouse is situated in their own 

 stomachs. And with all their industry, they are only half- 

 clad till flesh and bone stop growing for a while, and allow 

 down and feathers to overtake them. 



The period at which they are left to shift for themselves 

 depends upon the disposition of the Hen. Some will continue 

 their attentions to their chicks till they are nearly full grown, 

 others will cast them off much earlier. In the latter case, it 

 may be as well to keep an eye upon them for a few days till 

 they have established themselves as independent members of 

 the gallinaceous community. For chickens in this half-grown 

 state are at the most critical period of their lives. They are 

 now much more liable to disease than when they were appa- 

 rently tender little weaklings crowded under their mother's 

 wings. It is just before arriving at this point of growth, that 

 artificially hatched chickens are so sure to fail, whether hot air, 

 hot water, or sheepskin, be the substitute for the mother's 

 care. Mere incubation has long ago been performed artificially 

 with success in various ways. Any lady or gentleman, at any 

 time of the year, can effectually complete that process by 

 means of a spirit-lamp and a sand-bath in their study or bou- 

 doir. The mere hatching of chickens deserves little credit, 

 however ingeniously it is done. But to rear them on a great 

 scale is the difficulty that has not yet been surmounted in this 

 country. A visit to the purveyors of Poultry for the Million 

 is not repaid by the sight of an approach to the fulfilment of 

 their great promises. They hatch, but they cannot rear, and 



