.38 cocker's manual. 



where this method has been used, and can recommend it as likely to 

 produce beneficial results. 



"When several hens sit nearly at the same time, if any accident 

 should happen to one of them her eggs may be distributed among 

 others, provided they had not too many eggs in the first instance. 

 The best time to make such a transfer will be when the hen is off the 

 nest, lest she be dissatisfied at receiving them." 



Some cockers raise many objections against setting eggs under 

 dunghill hens ; but these objections are really entitled to no weight, 

 and in fact are only false notions, for such hens are much less inclined 

 to be quarrelsome and less apt to be disturbed by other hens. It has 

 been the experience of many breeders that chickens so brought up do 

 not partake of the qualities of the dunghill, and now it is not unusual 

 to find cockers wanting two clutches from the same hen, setting the 

 first under a dunghill and the second under a game hen. 



An early writer on this subject has the following: "The desire to 

 sit is made known by a particular sort of clucking, which is continued 

 until the chickens are full grown ; and a feverish state ensues, in which 

 the natural heat of the hen's body is very much increased. The in- 

 clination, or, as phj'siologists term it, the 'starge,' soon becomes a 

 strong and ungovernable passion. The hen flutters about, hangs her 

 wings, bristles up her feathers, searches everywhere for eggs to sit up- 

 on, and if she finds any, whether laid by herself or others, she imme- 

 diately seats herself upon them. These signs of an inclination to set 

 ought generally to be indulged in all hens : but those are best adapted 

 for setting which have rather short legs, a broad body, large wings, 

 well furnished with feathers, and their nails and spurs not too long 

 nor sharp. The setting hen will sometimes exhibit impatience at her 

 close confinement, and want to get frequently off the nest. When 

 this is observed, one-half of the food that usually forms her meal 

 should be withheld, and, when she has had only half her due allow- 

 ance, replace her on the nest, and hold out to her in the hand some 

 hemp or millet seed. This second meal has the effect of reconciling 

 her to sit constantly without deserting her eggs. With the same view 

 some put food and water so near the nest that the setting hen may 

 feed without leaving her eggs for any great length of time ; while 

 others hold that this is not so conducive to health as the more natural 

 method of letting her come off to enjoy good water and food at some 



