Here is a fine farm-yard family! very useful friends of ours. The rooster,
who is a brave, spirited bird, wakes us up in the morning by crowing;
the hen lays us eggs for breakfast, and when the wee chicks are big
enough, they are very good food, as roast chicken. The rooster teaches us
watchfulness; the hen, motherly love.



There are many different kinds of fowls. The largest are the tall Cochin
Chinas; the smallest the pert little Bantams. It is a great amusement
for children to have a few fowls to feed, and take care of. Feeding them
and finding their eggs is one of the country child's pleasures.

The hen sits on her eggs for three weeks; and when the chicks are
hatched, she takes the greatest care of them, gathering them under her
wings when danger is near or the weather is at all cold; and she is
ready to fight a hawk or even a dog in defence of her little ones.

Fowls feed on barley or any kind of grain, and pick up worms in
their run. Stinging-nettles are very good food for chickens.