COG 
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'cafe, the poof animal frequently finks under tlie 
operation. 
If the hen is permitted to follow her own incli- 
nations, jfhe will fcldom lay above twenty eggs in 
the fame neft, without attempting to hatch themj 
but, if they are removed in proportion as they are 
laid, fhe will ftill continue in a vain expectation of 
increafing the number. In a wild ftate, fhe fel- 
dom produces more than fifteen eggs; but then 
her food is procured with more difficulty, and fhe 
is perhaps fenfible of the care requifite to maintain 
a large .family. 
When the hen begins to fit, her patience and 
perfeverance are almoft incredible: Ihe continues 
immoveable for fome days; and even when com- 
pelled to quit the neft by the cravings of nature, 
Ihe fpeedily returns to her duty. During the time 
of her fitting, fhe carefully turns her eggs, and 
often places them in different fituations; till, at the 
end of three weeks, or thereabouts, the young 
brood begin to indicate their arrival at maturity; 
and, by repeated efforts of their bills, perforate the 
fliellsy the hen flill continuing to fit till they are 
all excluded. The ftrongeft and beft chickens 
ufually firft emerge from their prifons ; the weaker 
ones follow after; but the moft feeble of all generally 
die in this nafcent ftate. The whole family being 
emancipated, the parent leads them forth in order 
to inftruft them in the art of providing for them- 
felves. Her affeClion and dignity appear then to 
alter her very nature, and render her an amiable 
bird. No longer cowardly or voracious, ihe boldly 
and indifcriminately attacks every creature that 
appears to have any hoftile intention towards her 
young, and abftains from every kind of food which 
they are incapable of fwallowing. When march- 
ing at the head of her little troop, fhe demeans 
herfelf as their commander, and makes ufe of a 
variety of fignificant notes for the purpofe of fum- 
moning them to their food, as well as of warning 
them of approaching danger. 
A certain mode of treatment has been devifed, 
by which a hen that in the ordinary way produces 
but one dozen of young yearly, may generate as 
many chickens as eggs; and, confequently, near 
two hundred. The artificial method of hatching 
chickens in ftoves, as pra6tifed at Grand Cairo in 
Egypt, or in a chemical laboratory properly gra- 
duated, as has been efFe<fted by M. Reaumur, is 
the contrivance alluded to. The Egyptians build 
fpacious ovens, of a figure very different from ours, 
in which they place a great number of eggs, and 
by means of a gentle fire communicate to them 
the fame degree of heat as if they were under the 
hen. In this fituation they remain till the ufual 
time of hatching ; and by that means ten or twelve 
thoufand chickens have frequently been produced 
at a time. But in this colder climate, the great 
difEculty of rearing chickens does not confift in 
hatching, but in clutching them after they are ex- 
cluded. To obviate this difficulty, Reaumur has 
made ufe of what he calls a woollen hen ; which in 
reality is nothing more than placing the chickens 
in a warm bafliet, and throwing a thick woollen 
canopy over, them ; but the whole apparatus was 
attended with fo great an expence, as to render the 
fcheme rather an obje6b of curiofity than profit. 
However, a much better fubftitute might be found, 
' and that from among the fpecies themfelves. Ca- 
pons may be eafily taught to clutch a frefh brood 
of chickens throughout the year; fo that, when one 
little colony is thus reared, another may be brought 
to fucceed it. Ihdeed, this method is frequently 
adopted. Firft, the capon is fo tamed, as to feed 
from a perfon's hand ; then^ towards evening, the 
feathers of his breaft are removed, and the bare 
fkin rubbed with nettles. After this procefs, the 
chickens being put to him, they quickly run un- 
der his breaft and belly; and, by their friftion, 
probably allay the ftinging pain which the nettles 
had before produced. This device is repeated two 
or three nights ; till the animal conceiving an af- 
feflion for the young brood thus fent to his relief, 
continues to afford them that fhelter they require. 
From this time the capon fofters the chickens like, 
a hen, clutching them, feeding them, clucking, and 
rendering them every kind office natural to the moft 
afieclionate parent. A capon, habituated to this 
fervice, will not eafily refign it ; but, on the con- 
trary, when one brood is grown up, he will fuffer 
another nearly hatched to be put under him, and 
treat them with the fame marks of tender regard. ■ 
The Cock, from his falacity, is generally fup- 
pofed to be a fhort-lived animal; but how long 
one of thefe birds will live, if left to itfelf, is not as : 
yet well afcertained by naturalifts. As Cocks are 
kept only for the fake of profit, and in a few years 
become almoft ufelefs, very few perfons, from, mere 
motives of curiofity, make the tedious experiment 
of maintaining a proper number of them till they 
die naturally. Aldrovandus is of opinion that they 
would in general live ten years ; nor is it indeed ■ 
probable that they would exceed that age. 
The flefh of the Cock contains a great quantity 
of oil and volatile fait; but it is lefs efteemed than 
that of the hen, or ratlier the pullet, being dryer, 
lefs agreeable to the palate, and more difficult of 
digeftion. The flefh of the pullet alfo contains- 
much oil and volatile fait, and forms a moft excel- 
lent aliment: it is peftoral, eafy of digeftion, and- 
nutritive; it agrees with perlbns of all ages and 
conftitutions ; but it is beft adapted to thofe who 
aredelicate and fedentary; labouring people requii- 
ing ftronger, as well as more fubftantial food* 
The eggs, which are a common aliment, are equally 
beneficial in health and ficknefs; they digeft quickly, 
arc very nourifliing, abate the acrimony of the 
fluids, appeafe coughs, and meliorate the voice 
they are likewife falutary for the breath, and greatly, 
exhilarate die fpirits; but they lofe much of their 
virtues when boiled too hard. 
As farms cannot with propriety be faid to be 
ftocked without fowls, as well as beafts, it will per- 
haps not be improper to exhibit fome approved di- 
rections for the management of thefe doineftic 
birds. Thofe hens v/hich are the beft breeders, 
as well as layers, fliould be feiefted ; the oldeft, in- 
deed, are always the beft fitters, and the youngeft 
the beft layers ; but no fort will be fit for either pur- 
pofe if kept too fat. The beft age for fetting hens 
is from two to five years old; and the beft feafon 
is February, though any month between that and 
October will anfwer. 
If fowls are fed with buck or French wheat, or 
witii hemp, canary, or millet-feed, they will, on ac- 
count of this treatment, lay a greater number of 
eggs than ordinary ; and buck-wheat, either whole 
or ground, made into a pafte, will fatten them very 
expeditioufly : but, if chickens are intended to 
to be reared, each of them fliould have two or three 
barley-corns immediately as they are taken from 
their nefts, and fo continue to be fed till they are 
fit for fattening. 
The Cock was confecrated to Minerva;, as the 
fyml?ol 
