31 PREVENTION OF SITTING, &C. 



With respect to the CAPRICIOUSNESS of some hens 

 in the article of SITTING, it is a risk which must be 

 left to the judgment of the attendant, who has to 

 determine whether or not the hen which appears 

 desirous of sitting, may be safely trusted with eggs- 

 Leaving a number of eggs in the nest is an entice- 

 ment. Very frequently, a hen will cluck, and ap- 

 pear hot for incubation, yet after sitting over her 

 eggs a sufficient number of hours to addle them, 

 will then desert them : and, probably, in the course 

 of a few days will be taken with another fit of incu- 

 bation. 



Much useless cruelty is too often exercised, to 

 PREVENT the hen from SITTING, when eggs, rather 

 than chickens, are in request; such, for example, 

 as immersing her head, or whole body in water, 

 which I have witnessed with regret, the hen, as soon 

 as dry, running to her nest, although the dipping 

 has been repeated several days following. But, 

 granting nature could be thus put out of her course, 

 it is not probable that, eggs would be obtained earlier 

 than by suffering the hen to sit, since the improper 

 treatment, and the disappointment combined, are 

 nearly an equal impediment both to laying and 

 sitting. 



I am sorry to see a late useful and well-written 

 publication disgraced by barbarities similar to those 

 above described. The author, unreflectingly, with- 

 out doubt, recommends to thrust a feather through 

 the hen's nostrils, in order to prevent her from sit- 

 ting ; and to give her half a glass of gin, then swing 

 her round until seemingly dead, and confine her in 



