Modern Husbandry; A Practical and Scientific Treatise on Agriculture, Illustrating the Most Approved Practices in Draining, Cultivating, and Manuring the Land Breeding, Rearing, and Fattening Stock and the General Management and Economy of the Farm (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1853 Excerpt: ...First, the Gallinaceous kind comprehending the common barn fowls, as chickens, turkeys, and guinea-fowls; also peacocks and pigeons. Second, the web-footed tribes, as ducks and geese. It is not known from what country we derived the common farm-yard cock. The jungle cock of India is supposed to be the original by some persons, but from whatever source he is sprung he is certainly a very fine bird; as bold, gallant, and courageous as he is handsome. The females are remarkable for their fecundity, and will lay eggs during the greater part of the year, if well fed and kept. A good shortlegged hen will lay 150 eggs, and bring up a brood of chickens in a year. After the hen has laid a certain number of eggs the desire of incubation commences. It will be observed by the peculiar noise she makes, and her extreme restlessness. The hen sits upon the eggs twenty-one days; they will then be hatched, the number sat upon being generally from ten to fifteen. During the time the hen is sitting the young one is nourished in the shell, where it lies couched up in a most remarkable manner; its breast is towards the large end of the egg, the legs bent forward to the breast, the head is turned under the wing, and the beak rising up between the wing and the back. When the chicken arrives at maturity and the spring of life becomes active, it desires to escape from its confinement and pecks at the shell until it gives way, and the little creature steps forth perfectly formed and able to eat and walk. Almost immediately they are born the mother teaches them to use their bills and to find food; she exerts herself to the utmost by scratching and hunting about for their advantage, and occasionally taking them under her wing to prevent their being injured by cold. The hen is the best ...