40 GENERAL MANAGEMENT OP POULTRY. 



but even then eleven or twelve chickens are quite as many as a 

 large, well-feathered hen can properly nourish, and the eggs 

 should only be one or two in excess of that number. 



A good hen will not remain more than half an hour away 

 from her nest, unless sbe has been deprived of a dust-bath, and 

 so become infested with lice, which sometimes cause hens thus 

 neglected to forsake their eggs altogether. When a hen at the 

 proper time shows no disposition to return, she should be 

 quietly driven and coaxed towards her nest ; if she be caught, 

 and replaced by hand, she is often so frightened and excited 

 as to break the eggs. A longer absence is not, however, 

 necessarily fatal to the brood ; and it is no use, and only makes 

 matters worse, to be over-fidgety. People who know the 

 most always fuss the least. We would rather a hen went back 

 in twenty minutes; but if she stayed half an hour we should let 

 her, and trust that all would probably be right. We have 

 had hens repeatedly absent more than an hour, which still 

 hatched seven or eight chicks; and on one occasion a hen 

 sitting in the fowl-house returned to the wrong nest, and was 

 absent from her own more than five hours. We of course 

 considered all chances cf hatching at an end ; but as the hen 

 had been sitting a fortnight, concluded to let her finish her 

 time, and she hatched five chickens. We have heard of a few 

 hatching even after nine hours' absence, and therefore would 

 never, on account of such an occurrence, abandon valuable eggs 

 without a trial. 



The chickens break the shell at the end of the twenty-first 

 day, on an average ; but if the eggs are new-laid it will often 

 lessen the time by as much as five or six hours, while stale 

 eggs are always more or less behind. Small breeds generally 

 hatch a day or two earlier. 



If the eggs were fresh, and proper care has been taken to 

 preserve moisture during incubation, no assistance is ever 

 needed at the actual hatching. 



