Breeding. 07 



or pan, with her fcatliers wrong way up, her tail 

 drooping, her eyes dim and dull, and her head hang- 

 ing as though the, muscles of her neck were broken, 

 tgg-biindimg should be suspected. The hen must be 

 caught and carefully examined. If you are satisfied 

 it is a case of egg-binding — and this you can easily 

 tell b3' the rnflamod appearance of the vent, and by 

 feeling the egg near to the opening — you should at 

 once set about relieving her. The firsit step in the 

 process is to dip a large feather, or a fine camel-hair 

 lirush in sweet oil and insert it into the egg passage. 

 Then hold the hen over a basin of boiling water, first 

 stretching a piece of muslin over the top to prevent 

 the ben's body coming in contact with the water and 

 also tO' catch the egg should it be voided, as it somie- 

 times may, whilst the sitcaraing is being performed. 

 vSteani the hen for about a quarter of an hour or 

 twen'ty minutes, and if the egg is not passed during 

 this time, give ber a couple of linseed oil capsules 

 (those sent out by Mr. Richard Woods I can strongly 

 recommend, because of the highh' refined oil used 

 in theit manufacture) , and place her in a basket near 

 the fire. Don't use an ordinary show basket, but a 

 good-sized square marketing basket, or a round 

 basket, such as is used for Fantails and Bantams. 

 Such a basket allows the hen to move about, and 

 stretch her both' and limbs, and thus in most cases 

 assist in bringing the egg awa>-. If the egg has not 

 been passed in a couple of hours repeat the' steaming. 

 A word of caution is necessary as to this operation. 

 Don't hold the hen' too close to the top of the basin 

 if j-our water is boiling, or you will scald her by the 

 great heat of the steam. 



PROJIPTITUDE NEEDED. 



In cases of egg-binding, relief must be afforded 

 promptly as soon as ever the discovery is made that 

 the hen is holding her egg. Delay may mean the loss 

 of the hen's life. The exhaustion in egg-binding is 

 .great, and hens quickly become prostrate. It must 

 ever be remembered that as warmth is a great factor 

 in effecting a cure, the hen must be kept near the fire 



