COOPING QUITTING THE HEN. 51 



position of the hen, there is no necessity for cooping 

 the brood beyond two or three days, but they may 

 be confined as occasion requires, or suffered to range, 

 as they are much benefited by the scratching and 

 foraging of the hen. They must not be let out too 

 early in the morning, or whilst the dew remains 

 upon the ground, far less be suffered to range over 

 the wet grass, one common and fatal cause of dis- 

 ease. Another caution is of the utmost consequence, 

 to guard them watchfully against sudden unfavour- 

 able changes in the weather, more particularly if 

 attended with rain. Nearly all the diseases of gal- 

 linaceous fowls arise from cold moisture. 



For the period of the chickens QUITTING the hen, 

 there is no general rule ; the most certain is, when 

 the hen begins to roost, leaving them ; if sufficiently 

 forward, they will follow her ; if otherwise, they 

 should be secured in a proper place, the time hav- 

 ing arrived when they are to associate with the young 

 poultry, as nearly of their own age and size as pos- 

 sible, since the larger are apt to overrun and drive 

 from their food the younger broods. 



The incision necessary to be made in the distended 

 and obstructed crop of a chicken pining and refus- 

 ing its food, we practised with success in the simi- 

 lar case of a hen, and of squabs or young pigeons. 

 Such incisions being made, and afterwards stitched 

 up with a needle and thread as carefully as possible, 

 the parts soon unite. 



