Pet Poultry 49 



the young chicks in the shell, "pipping" of the egg, 

 the bursting of the shell and appearance of the active 

 fluffy little chicks are constant sources of wonder and 

 expectation. The care of the mother- hen and her 

 brood is perhaps the most interesting to children. The 

 motherly solicitude of the hen for her chicks and the 

 care and protection she gives her brood appeal to 

 childish sympathies. 



When it is desirable to make pets of chickens so that 

 they can be readily handled, j'oung chicks should be 

 selected and the child be allowed to train them by care- 

 ful handling. Chickens are easily taught simple lessons. 

 To do this a little attractiv^e food is the best means of 

 training them to respond to simple demands. Care is 

 required in handling chickens in order to avoid hurting 

 them, as pain soon makes them timid. The proper 

 method of handling is to catch the chicken either by 

 the legs or between the outspread hands. The chicken 

 can be carried by tucking it under the right arm, in the 

 upright position with the head forward. Avoid injur- 

 ing the chicken by carrying with the head downward 

 or holding by the wings. 



Chickens are so easily and quickly reared that the 

 children may easily be set to experimenting with differ- 

 ent kinds. For efficiency, however, one kind is prefer- 

 able to many. See that the quarters are light, warm 

 and airy, and do not confine the food to grain alone. 



