The Chickens' First Food. 63 



CHAPTER VII. 



REARING AND FATTENING FOWLS. 



THE first want which the chick will feel will be that of 

 warmth, and there is no warmth so suited for them as that 

 of the hen's body. Some persons remove the chicks from 

 under the mother as soon as they are hatched, one by one, 

 placing them in a basket covered up with flannel, and 

 keep them there in a warm place, until the last chick 

 is out, when they are put back under the hen. But this is 

 very seldom necessary unless the weather is very cold and 

 the hen restless, and is generally more likely to annoy than 

 benefit her. Nor should the hen be induced to leave the 

 nest, but be left undisturbed until she leaves of her own 

 accord, when the last hatched chickens will be in a better 

 condition to follow her than if she had been tempted 

 tc leave earlier. In a few hours they are able to run 

 about and follow their parent ; they do not require to be 

 fed in the nest like most birds, but pick up the food 

 which their mother shows them ; and repose at night 

 huddled up beneath her wings. The chicken during its 

 development in the egg is nourished by the yolk, and the 

 remaining portion of the yolk passes into its body previous 

 to its leaving the shell, being designed for its first nourish- 

 ment ; and the chicken, therefore, does not require any food 

 whatever during the first day. The old-fashioned plan, so 

 popular with " practical" farmers' wives, of cramming a 

 peppercorn down the throat of the newly-hatched chick 

 is absurd and injurious. 



The first food must be very light and delicate, such as 

 crumbs of bread soaked in milk, the yolk of an egg boiled 

 hard, and curds ; but very little of anything at first except 

 water, for thirst will come before hunger. The thirsty hen 



