THE CALL OF TEE HEN. 75 



Fig. 38 shows tying sack around legs so that she cannot move while 

 examining her for prepotency. (Cut a little off the corner of the sack 

 just enough to get her head through. Hen in Fig. 38 is too far out 

 of the sack.) 



FIG. 38 Tying sack around legs so hen cannot move while examining her for 

 prepotency. This method of holding the bird is only necessary while you are learning. 

 If there is someone to hold the hen for you, it would be quicker. When you become 

 skillful, you can hold the bird as in Fig. 43. 



The best way for a beginner to learn how to handle a hen for pre- 

 potency is to select a hen you wish for the table. Cut the corner off of 

 a gunny sack; hold her as in Fig. 36; put your hen in sack and tie her, 

 as in Figs. 37 and 38; then make a hook of wire or a hair pin, attach it 

 to a string with small weight or stone; hang hen up against barn or shed, 

 head down, back against building; take long-bladed pocket or other 

 knife with sharp point, insert in hen's mouth, and draw across the roof 

 of the mouth at the back of the brain at the junction of the neck, severing 

 the blood-veins, then immediately force the knife through the roof of 

 the mouth into the brain. The knife should be forced well into the 

 brain, which will sever the nerves, and the bird will feel no pain; then 

 insert hook in the nostril, and the weight will hold the neck straight. 

 The hen should bleed freely. After bleeding has stopped, clean mouth 

 and surrounding parts of blood, and place hen in some convenient place 

 on a box or coop. The thumb-nail on the left hand and nail on the 

 forefinger of the right hand should be longer than the thumb and finger, 

 so the flesh on end of thumb and finger will not prevent the nail from 

 entering the slight depression between the skull and neck. 



We will suppose the reader has handled the hen as suggested above. 

 Lay the dead hen as in Fig. 39; take hold of comb or head and pull neck 

 up with right hand, and while holding head up the neck will be stretched 

 out. Turn the head down with right hand, so the back of the head 

 will point up and beak will point down as much as possible. This will 

 make the projection of the brain (arrow 1, Fig. 35) appear more promi- 

 nent, so it will be easier to locate it; then draw ball of thumb of left hand 



