42 GENERAL MANAGEMENT OF POULTRY. 



if the eggs are all fresh, the chicks will appear within a few 

 hours of each other. In that case they are much better left 

 with their mother; the heat of her body appears to strengthen 

 and nourish them in a far better manner than any othei 

 warmth, and they are happy and contented, instead of moving 

 restlessly about, as they always do whilst away from her. 



Our own plan is to set the eggs in the evening, when the 

 chicks will break the shell in the evening also, or perhaps the 

 afternoon. Then at night let the state of the brood be once 

 only examined, all egg-shells removed from the nest, and the 

 hen, if she be tame enough to receive it, given food and water. 

 Let her afterwards be so shut in that she cannot leave her 

 nest, and all may be left safely till the morning, By that time 

 the chicks will be strong and lively, quite ready for their first 

 meal ; and unless some of the eggs are known to be very stale, 

 any not hatched then are little likely to hatch at all. If this 

 be so, the chicks may be removed and put in flannel by the 

 fire, and another day patiently waited, to see if any more will 

 appear. We should not do so, however, if a fair number had 

 hatched well ; for they never thrive so well away from the 

 hen, and it is scarcely worth while to injure the healthy 

 portion of the brood for the sake of one or two which very 

 probably may not live after all. 



The first meal should be given on the nest, and the best 

 material for it is an equal mixture of hard-boiled yolk of egg 

 and stale bread-crumbs,, the latter slightly moistened with 

 milk. Let the hen be allowed to partake of this also she 

 needs it ; and then give her besides as much barley as she will 

 eat, and oner her water, which she will drink greedily. To 

 satisfy the hen at first saves much restlessness and trouble 

 with her afterwards. 



There is a stupid practice adopted by many, of removing 

 the little horny scale which appears on every chicken's beak, 

 with the idea of enabling thorn to peck better, and then putting 



