42 ASSISTANCE IN HATCHING HATCHED. 



a few hours after they have pecked it, although they 

 would be never the worse for it afterwards, IF NO 

 YOLK WERE LEFT OUT OF THEIR body, at the instant 

 of their coming out of the shell. However, it is 

 generally better to let the chicken come out of the 

 shell of its own accord : for in that case, he is hatched 

 only when his limbs have become sufficiently strong, 

 and when they have assumed in the shell a consist- 

 ence and vigour, which they would not be so sure to 

 acquire, if they were exposed to the open air. 



" I have often found, both among the chickens 

 which were hatched of their own accord, and those 

 which I have assisted, some that, notwithstanding 

 the perfect consolidation of the place, through which 

 the yolk had been introduced into their body, had 

 nevertheless still without it portions of intestines, 

 some longer, some shorter; one might think that 

 these portions had not been inclosed in the capacity 

 of the belly at the same time when the rest was ; 

 but it is no less probable that all this is the conse- 

 quence of the efforts the chicken had made towards 

 being hatched, and that they had brought on him a 

 rupture, which is commonly fatal in a few days." 



The chickens FIRST HATCHED are to be taken from 

 the hen, lest she be tempted to leave her task un- 

 finished. Those removed may be secured in a 

 basket of wool or soft hay, and kept in a moderate 

 heat ; if the weather be cold, near the fire. They 

 will require no food for many hours, even four and 

 twenty, should it be necessary to keep them so long 

 from the hen. The whole brood being hatched, the 

 hen is to be placed under a coop abroad, upon a dry 



