POULTRY.

Thames Star, Volume XI, Issue 3624, 7 August 1880, Page 1

POULTRY.

TBEITMENT OF CLUCKING HSNfc „ ,[',

A writer in the " Adelaide Observer " makes the following remarks upon this subject:—There are still some extra* ordinary ideas entertained by some people, with respect to the treatment!of hens that will persist in sitting when they are not required to perform that useful domestic duty. The "old custom of dipping a clucking hen into a bucket of cold water, which is still muob in. favour amongst old-fashioned housewives, is simply outrageous. .It is not only positively cruel, but is.the means of promoting disease in the unfortunate fowl, operated upon. A clucking hen is to a certain extent in a state of fever.. ;Her system is heated, and she is altogether in so peculiar a con* dition that a sudden, immersion in cold water is calculated to convey a shock to her system which she* mil take some time to get Over. Some .wiseacres cram their, clucking bens with pepper— just the very thing to increase the state of irritation to which the fowl haß beeH wrought by her maternal instincts. Others clap a camp-oven over the victim of philoprogenitiveness, thereby running the risk of smothering her and spoiling a good hen. A few,' again, bang the hen on a line and swing her to and fro till she is as nearly dead as their cruelty can bring her.. In fact, the unfortunate fowl with proclivities injtheilicection of chicken* i» treatment to .make her forget-what I nature has prompted her to Undertake. ETo hen should be prevented from i sitting at least once in a season,' as j the sitting process is to. some extent' ; a rest from the occupation of laying eggs, ! which drains the/system very much if i kept up to an unnatural extent. Practically the best way.to get a hen off sitting is to put her in a small coop *ith a smart young rooster for a day or two, and she will soon quiet down, gradually give up clucking, and begin to lay again. Two or three days of this discipline generally, efieots a cure. Cochins are about' the/ \ worst for developing sitting proclivities; They are no sooner of than they are on again, and. they will, cquat on a bare 1 board if they cannot find a nest handy. However, there is not much difficulty to get them to lay again by following the ! plan proposed, or cooping, them alone for i a few days on plain diet „ .'.'". " ; .