Putting Hens To Sit

: BIRDS AND BEASTS.

Placing the eggs in the nest for hens, geese, and ducks to sit on was

considered an important undertaking. This was always done by the lucky

member of the family. It was usual to put fowl to sit so as to get the

chick out of the egg at the waxing, and not at the waning, of the moon.

It was thought that the young birds were strong or weak according to the

age of the moon when they were hatched.



March chi
kens were always considered the best. A game bird hatched in

March was thought to be stronger and more plucky than those that broke

their shells in any other month, and, further, to obtain all extraneous

advantages, that bird which was hatched at full moon began life with very

good prospects.



A singular custom prevailed at Llansantffraid, Montgomeryshire, when

putting hens, and other fowl, to sit. I obtained the information from

the late Vicar, the Rev. R. H. M. Hughes, M.A., an observant gentleman,

who took a lively interest in all matters connected with his parish. I

was staying with him, and he made the remark that in his parish it was

considered lucky to place the hen, when she first began to sit, with her

head towards the church. This the cottagers in the village could easily

do, for the parish church was in their midst. I do not know whether this

kind of proceeding prevailed in other places.



The number of eggs placed under a hen varied with her size, but one

general rule was followed, viz., an odd number of eggs was always placed

under her; eleven or thirteen was the usual number, but never ten or

twelve.



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