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The Illustrated Book of Poultry. 



They should be put under the hen whilst still wet. All eggs dead should be removed, as the hen 

 can then take the better care of those left. If any valuable eggs are cracked, which evidently 

 contain living chickens, the disaster may often be remedied by pasting a narrow slip of gummed 

 paper over the crack, or, in the case of Bantam eggs, a small piece of goldbeater's-skin. Many 

 eggs so treated have hatched in safety. 



Sonic breeders like to have two hens sitting at the same time, the advantage being that when 

 half the eggs of both are hatched, all the chickens can be given to one and all the eggs to the 

 other. If there is much difference in the time the eggs chip, this is advisable ; but in ordinary 

 cases, where the eggs are properly fresh, things will go on better by leaving the hen alone. It 

 should be seen that she has a thoroughly good feed the last time she is off, after which she should 

 be shut in, so as to be quite dark ; she will then stay quietly enough while hatching goes on. If 

 all apparently be going on well, it is best so to leave her ; but if the eggs arc known to contain 

 living chickens, yet no apparent progress be made, or if eggs are "starred" and nothing further 

 take place after some hours, the chicks are probably too weakly to get out without assistance, or 

 may, perhaps, be glued to the shell. Examination should be made from time to time to see how 

 matters stand, and if necessary the chicks must be assisted. We formerly made many attempts 

 at such assistance in vain, and, like many others, rushed to the conclusion that chicks could not 

 be thus saved ; but an accidental discovery put another face on the matter. Keep the egg in zvaiin 

 tvatcr (about 100°) while the assistance is being rendered, and success may be hoped for. The 

 shell must be cracked very gently, and the inner membrane very tenderly peeled off till the chick be 

 at liberty, keeping all but the beak under water till nearly clear. The operation must be performed 

 in a warm place, and tenderly as if touching raw flesh ; and it will be found that the water greatly 

 facilitates matters, liberating the membrane if glued to the chick, and enabling it to be separated 

 without loss of blood. The latter occurrence, nine times out of ten, is fatal ; but if the operation 

 be completed without blood-flowing, success may be anticipated, and the nearly dead chick may 

 be put by the fire in flannel, or under the hen, if a quiet, good mother — under her at night, in any 

 case — and next day may probably be as well as the others. We have latterly often saved chicks 

 this way, where before using the warm water we always failed ; and when hatching eggs of first- 

 class quality, any pains to save an extra bird are well worth while. 



The treatment of the chickens when hatched will be the subject of a succeeding chapter. 



