PIGEO^^S AND ALL ABOUT THEM. (» 



HELPING YOUNG. 



NEVEK give up an egg, or the young one in it, till it is 

 dead. I have .seen eggs completely chilled, cracked 

 eggs, eggs with pieces ahsolutely broken out, that 

 hatched, and youngsters that were picked up stiff on a loft 

 floor, that soon came to life and flourished. 



After an egg lias gotten well along in the process of incu- 

 bation, it will stand a great deal. It not cracked so badly as 

 to let the white run out, paste a little court plaster over it, 

 • ir a piece of postage stamp. If a little piece is broken out, 

 do the same. 



If you find a youngster out of the nest and chilled, hold it 

 in your warm hands and gently breathe on it, and then as 

 soon as it moves, sli]i it under a close setting hen. It is rare- 

 ly necessary to bring it in to the fire, for the warmth of the 

 bird is more natural, and again, when it begins moving, the 

 hen is liable to give it warm food. 



Along about the eighteenth day, it is well to look at all 

 eggs. Id the little dotted break in the shell looks all right, 

 and you can hear the young bird working merrily away, it is 

 no doubt strong and active and will get through without any 

 help. Look at it again the next day, say 24 hours after, 

 and if the broken line is no further along, it is a good idea to 

 help a little, but be very careful and do not over do the mat- 

 ter. I take my thumb nail and gently, very gently, indent a 

 continuation of the line, or make a very small hole. 



Now, don't hurry the bird. Give it plenty of time, for if 

 you do too much and puncture one of the little veins, the bird 

 is lost. Hundreds of thousands of young birds are killed, 

 through the impatience of the fancier. I have knofln many 

 cases where it took three days for a bird to emerge from the 

 shell even after it had made a good break. Remember the 



