Rearing — Natural and A rtificial. 1 9 5 



The yolk, which contains the germ, when detached from the 

 ovary, finds its way to the oviduct, and is there coated in 

 succession with numerous thin layers of white — which is 

 largely composed of albumen. It has the chalazas — which 

 hold the yolk in position, and are known as the portion 

 which cooks take out when beating up an egg — fixed, is then 

 tovered with the two outer membranes or skins, and, finally, 

 before being voided, is covered with the shell. The white is 

 the matter from which the chick is formed, when the germ of 

 life is present, and the egg subjected to the proper conditions. 

 The yolk-bag contains the food of the chick, and, during the 

 process of incubation, this bag hardens, and is absorbed with 

 its contents into the stomach of the bird, shortly before it 

 emerges from the shell. Thus, by a bountiful provision of 

 nature, no food is needed by the chick during the first twenty- 

 four hours of its existence, and giving any food during that 

 time, is not only useless, but positively injurious, so that no 

 attempt should be made to force the birds to eat. Young 

 poultry keepers often get anxious, because the food put down 

 during the first day is not eaten, but for the reason just 

 stated, there is no need to have any fears on that account, 

 and the appetite will come in proper time, for which patience, 

 must be exercised. Another custom is observed by some per- 

 sons, which is a useless one, namely, the giving of a pepper- 

 corn to the newly-hatched chick ; but, unaware as we are of 

 the reason advanced for this custom, it is not based upon 

 experience or upon common sense, and we can only charac- 

 terise it as " an old wives' fable." A still more foolish 

 custom is occasionally found, which deserves the strongest 

 condemnation, namely, that of tearing off the hard scale found 

 on the beaks of all young chicks — so placed to enable them to 

 break through the shell — and putting it down the throat of 

 the bird. This is not only without anything to recommend 

 it, but is, at the same time, cruel and barbarous, and al so 



