Raining, but not hard, almost all day.
Lilacs almost out. Bindweed well up.
Great difficulties with so-called broody hens. One, after much reluctance, began to sit, but only took 8 eggs. The other evidently not broody at all, escaped & got among the other hens. This sitting of eggs probably wasted (2/6 the dozen.) Notice that when this hen went among the others they did not make hostile demonstration, as is usual. Probably owing to there being no cock. Tom Ridly[1] says that when keeping eggs waiting a hen one should turn them daily, as in the incubator.
Put on a new cylinder of calor-gas.
Thirteen eggs. (It appears Titley is getting 2/- a score for his eggs.)
[1] A neighbour; correct spelling ‘Ridley’. Peter Davison
Orwell Diaries 1938-1942 
You can see why he turned to Socialism…
Those that can do…those that can’t “teach”
I wonder if he prays for extra eggs….
(Of course its human nature isn’t it ??)
Socialists don’t pray, do they?
I do not understand what its going on. Why does he need a “broody” hen to sit on the eggs?
i’s that the only way to get them to incubate? how would it happen in nature then?
If he thinks his so-called broody hen is going to hatch chicks, he’d best be praying for a cock. More rationally, though, he could just trade the non-broody hen and a shilling for one.