BREEDING AND GENERAL MANAGEMENT 59 



Many a hen condemned as " a sweater " is really not to 

 blame for her natural conduct. The individual to blame is 

 the owner, who by his forceful, stimulating feeding, has 

 induced in the hen this unnatural broodiness. I strongly 

 advise that all breeding stock should be fed on good 

 hard food during the winter, and soft food given very 

 seldom. 



Do Not Neglect the Bath. 



Hens with young should have the opportunity of 

 taking a bath every day. This is a good preventive of 

 sweating. Should hens show any inclination to sit too 

 close and sweat their young, stop feeding with dandelion 



When young birds begin to sing, the cocks may be told by the extra 

 fullness seen in the throat, the pea-like enlargement is not seen in 



the hens. 



and give a moderate allowance of any kind of green food, 

 the best for the purpose is seeding groundsel gathered 

 from a roadside or hedgerow. 



In such cases the nest should be re-made, and in re- 

 making use as httle nesting material as possible, so as 

 to allow the air from the outside of the nest to reach the 

 young. A couple or three thin strips of wood may be 

 fixed across the nest, just above the heads of the young 

 fledghngs so as to prevent the hen setthng down close 

 upon them is a device that is sometimes attended with 

 success, although I have known cases in which the remedy 



