94 FARMING FOR LADIES. [chap. iv. 



were brilliantly red on her beginning to lay, 

 now become of a pale, sickly colour ; she 

 is restless and uneasy, flutters about, and in- 

 timates her desire in much the same way as 

 that of the intention to lay. This is in some 

 shown in a more marked manner than in 

 others — by screaming when the cock comes 

 near with an intention to indulge his amor- 

 ous inclinations. While " bad sitters" some- 

 times lay scores of eggs without manifesting it, 

 and even when they do, not unfrequently leave 

 the eggs before the object of incubation has 

 been completed : a fault which is more com- 

 mon among pullets and young hens than in 

 those which are older, and is the strongest 

 reason for preferring the latter, as well as 

 retaining them so long as they may be of 

 use ; for all matrons will acknowledge, " that 

 young mothers are worse managers than those 

 to whom age has afforded experience." 



When eggs are more in demand than 

 chickens, efforts are, however, sometimes made 

 to check this instinct, and prevent the hen 

 from sitting, by plunging her body frequently 

 into cold water, to allay the feverish heat 

 which her desire to hatch occasions in the 



