THE DOMESTIC FOWL. 49 



fowl, for this sort of interruption provokes this quar- 

 relsome bird in such a manner as to endanger the eggs. 

 That she may never have occasion to leave the eggs 

 so long as to cool them, it will be proper to lay all 

 sorts of food that she is likely to approve of before her, 

 and to put clean water every day not only for her to 

 drink but to wash and trim herself in ; some ashes, 

 sand, and gravel should also be sifted on the ground 

 near the nest. The chickens are hatched in about 

 three weeks, and the nest is to be carefully watched 

 about this time, for there are always some of the 

 chickens hatched before the others ; these should be 

 taken away as soon as out of the shell, and laid before 

 the fire, or in some warm place in wool, and as soon 

 as the rest are hatched these should be given back to 

 the hen. They are not to be suffered to go abroad for 

 the first fortnight, and the room they are kept in must 

 be boarded, all other floors being too cold and too moist. 

 At about a month old, the chickens may be turned 

 out into a walk of some fresh grass, that they may 

 feed at liberty and eat worms and other insects ; but 

 there must be no puddle of water near the place, for 

 they are apt to get into such, and it occasions them a 

 number of diseases. 



"As soon as the comb and wattles appear on the 

 cocks, they must be cut away, and the sore place 

 anointed with fresh butter till it is well (the cock 

 fighter only will act in this cruel manner, the fancier 

 will not thus disfigure his birds). The chickens may 

 be all suffered to run together till they begin to peck 

 one another, then the cocks are to be separated ; each 

 must have his particular walk, and the more freed 

 from disturbance this is the better. The place of feed- 

 ing them must either be a boarded floor, or a very soft 

 and dry piece of ground. If the place be hard, as a 

 stony pavement, or a plastered floor, the taking up 

 their food will injure and blunt their beaks, so that 

 they will never be able to hold fast afterwards. Any 

 white corn is good for the young game cook in his 

 3 



