THE CALL OF THE HEN. 



81 



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. 



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

 move while examining her for prepotency. (Cut a little off 

 of the corner of the sack just enough to get her head through. 

 Hen in Fig. 38 is too far out of the sack.) 



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

 for prepotency 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 



p H e 



