86 ' Hatcldng for Summer Shoics. 



the June, July, or August shows, the earlier they are 

 hatched the better, and therefore a sitting should be made 

 in January, if you have a young, healthy hen broody. Set 

 her on the ground in a warm, sheltered, and quiet place, 

 perfectly secure from rain, or from any flow of snow water. 

 Feed her well, and keep water and small quantities of 

 food constantly within her reach, so that she may not 

 be tempted to leave the nest in search of food ; for the 

 eggs soon chill in winter. Mix the best oatmeal with hot 

 water, and give it to her warm twice a day. A few grains 

 of hempseed as a stimulant may be given in the middle of 

 the day. The great difficulty to overcome in rearing 

 early chickens is to sustain their vital powers during the 

 very long winter nights, when they are for so many hours 

 without food, the only substitute for which is warmth, and 

 this can only be well got from the hen. Consequently 

 a young Cochin-China with plenty of " fluff" will provide 

 most warmth. The hen should not be set on more than 

 five, or at most seven eggs ; for if she has more, although 

 she may sufficiently cover the chickens while very small, 

 she will not be able to do so when they grow larger, and 

 the outer ones will be chilled unless they manage to push 

 themselves into the inside places, and then the displaced 

 chickens being warm are sure to get more chilled than the 

 others ; and so the greater number of the brood, even if they 

 survive, will probably be weakly, puny things, through the 

 greedy desire to rear so many, while if she hatch but five 

 chickens she will probably rear four. The hen should be 

 cooped until the chickens are at least ten weeks old, and 

 covered up at night with matting, sacking, or a piece 

 of carpet. 



Give them plenty of curd, chopped egg, and oatmeal, 

 mixed with new milk. Stiff oatmeal porridge is the best 

 stock food. Some onion tops minced fine will be an ex- 

 cellent addition if they can be had. They should have 

 some milk to drink. Feed the hen well. The best warmth 

 the chickens can have is that of their mother, and the best 

 warmth for her is generated by generous, but proper, 

 food, and a good supply of it. Early chickens rearing for 



