FANCIERS’ JOURNAL AND POULTRY EXCHANGE. 
501 . 
it). Upon examination, I found that they did not smell as 
bad as eggs generally do under similar circumstances; this I 
laid to the absence of sulphuretted hydrogen. 
I immediately commenced feeding sulphur to my fowls, 
and the result was as I expected, — they nearly all hatched. I 
fed in bulk, the size of a kernel of corn to each fowl, each 
alternate day, mixed with their (soft) food. 
But I had another trouble. When I did hatch a few 
early chicks, they would disappear most mysteriously and 
unceremoniously. I could not account for their departure. 
My orchard and surroundings are infested with red and 
striped squirrels, or chip-monks. The latter grew to be quite 
tame, and would allow me to go within three or four feet of 
them, without being in the least alarmed. I delighted to 
see them around, and gave orders not to have them dis- 
turbed, but to my great surprise, I s; vv one of them come 
out of a hole in the ground near the 'lien-house, and take a 
young chick by the head, and scamper back in his hole, and 
that was the last of my chick. Who ever heard of such a 
thing before ? I never did. 
I had a hen sitting, and she only hatched a part of her 
eggs, and when removed, I examined the balance, and they 
all shook as if they contained nothing but water. I threw 
them out of the window, and to my surprise a chick rolled 
out of one of them. It was alive. I saw it gape, not- 
withstanding the egg shook (I will ask what was the cause 
of its shaking?), and to all appearances would have taken at 
least two or three days to hatch. Five days after I heard a 
chick peep, and looking around, I found a smart, healthy 
chick all alone, and in perfect order, near the broken eggs. 
No hen near; no hen hatching. Could it be the one that 
was in the egg I broke? Why no, look and see (it was 
gone). It certainly was. 
The chick is alive now, one week old, and is one of my 
celebrated Frizzles, and that probably accounts for his 
hardiness. 
Yours truly, A. H. Fitch, Jr. 
Walcott, N. Y., July 27th, 1874. 
(For Fanciers’ Journal.) 
INFORMATION WANTED. 
Is the following new to fanciers? it being something we 
have never met with before in our experience. Quite a 
number of our hens (which were set on fresh eggs from our 
own yard) have not brought off a chick, but the eggs broke 
one after the other (under the hen). At first we thought it 
was the fault of the sitter, but by careful observation we now 
know they burst of themselves. While washing the eggs 
one morning (the fifteenth day) I noticed a small spot of 
froth on one side of the egg ; on wiping it away a minute 
hole was discovered, from rvliich a slight foam was issuing, 
forming in a feAV moments the “spot of froth,” about the 
size of a pea ; it would then stop. The remaining twelve 
eggs seemed to be unaffected at that time. In taking the 
affected egg in my hand it burst (of itself) ivith a loud re- 
port, the contents being of a deep green color, and anything 
but a pleasant odor ; before night four more burst in the 
nest, and two next day ; the remaining six eggs hatching at 
the proper time. In two sittings every egg broke, while 
in others they would all hatch. The eggs were from Light 
Brahmas, and all from the same yard. Some of our neigh- 
bors have had the same experience with Dark Brahmas and 
Plymouth Rocks. Who will rise to explain? 
Allen’s Corner, Maine. W. E. Morton. 
RECREATION IN CARE OF FOWLS. 
There’s health in caring for poultry to any one whose em- 
ployment makes necessary daily confinement in store or 
office, provided they will personally attend to the fowls, and 
give them the care needed. In all seasons they need their 
first meal at early dawn, for they have bestirred themselves 
with the first light, and every minute they wander with 
empty crops does them harm. Generally they direct them- 
selves first to the water, which should be fresh and cool, and 
not that which has stood in the fountains all the previous 
day and night, and is therefore stagnant and lifeless. My 
habit is to empty the fountains after the fowls have gone to 
roost, and to also scatter a few handfuls of grain about the 
yards, so in case they get to moving before me in the morn- 
ing, they Avill find something ready for their digestive or- 
gans to work upon until their regular meal of soft food is 
prepared. This grain not only serves as an appetizer, but 
also, by partially satisfying their desire for food, prevents 
the natural impulse to overeat, and too greatly distend 
their crops afterward. 
To fulfil these necessities, therefore, one must rise before 
the sun — and, although I knoiv in these later and wiser days 
the good old adage of early rising is disputed, yet, provided 
one goes to bed early, I adhere to it as health giving. 
The cleanliness so important to the condition and health 
of fowls, will give just that moderate degree of exercise 
needful to a keen appetite for breakfast, and thus benefit 
both the fowls and their owner. 
I use a broom and a hoe, and every morning carefully 
clean the houses where the fowls roost, never leaving a 
dropping, and then sift over the floor some fresh sand 
mixed with slacked lime; this, with thorough white-wash- 
ing, keeps the house perfectly sweet and clean, and gen- 
erally free from insects and parasites. Indeed, I believe 
that almost any other condition may be violated with less 
evil result, than that of perfect cleanliness about the entire 
premises devoted to fowls. Of course this involves some 
labor, but I would dissuade any one from indulging in a 
fancy for fowls who has not real love for the birds, enough 
to induce cheerful submission to the task, a task which, if 
neglected for days and weeks, is of necessity disagreeable 
and laborious, but if regularly attended to each morning, is 
trifling. 
The personal attention I urge in place of servants or other 
help, not only attaches one to the fowls the more, but by 
constantly and closely observing them, gives the needed ex- 
perience to successfully cultivate the breed selected, and to 
develop in perfection the points most valued. For myself I 
am more delighted and paid better, in bringing out in the 
fall a few large well-marked birds, true in all points, than 
to sell at almost any price a larger number of half perfect 
specimens, for 1 do not believe, as one poultry journalist 
has it, that “ Money’s what we are all after.” In no other 
way than by attending to the fowls yourself, can be acquired 
the critical eye and perfected judgment necessary to the 
highest success, and then too they soon learn to know their 
attendant as their best friend ; and with their natural fear 
of man overcome, give the best possible opportunities of 
studying their habits and characteristics. I have a flock of 
Houdans so tame, that upon going into their yard (they are 
about half grown), and squatting down, they will fly into 
my lap, perch contentedly on my shoulders, and permit me 
to handle them as I please — and any of my fowls will feed 
from my hand — and I find this confidence useful very often. 
