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SUPERST I T I ON S Chickens have been kept for their eggs and meat for thousands of years and during this time many superstitions have arisen about them. These are usually steeped in country folklore, some amusing, others questionable but all a rich part of our heritage. Here are a few of them.
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It was said that immediately after the death of a farmer all his chickens would roost by midday, rather than in the evening.
The setting of eggs (putting in a position where they can hatch) had fertility taboos for country people until the late 19th century. It was thought unlucky to carry fertile hens’ eggs over running water, or to position them to ‘set’ on a Sunday or in the month of May (considered to be the month of witchcraft).
A Persian superstition suggests that cock birds should crow at nine and twelve in the morning and at night. If they do this their owners can expect sudden good fortune.
Spring flowers were said to influence the number of eggs that would hatch. If a posy containing less than thirteen primroses were taken into a house, so the number of eggs that hatched would be indicated by the number of flowers in the posy.
Housewives would pass a lighted candle over set eggs, or make crosses on them, to save them from foxes and weasels.
It was considered unlucky to sell eggs or to take them indoors after sunset.
In Europe it was earlier thought to be unlucky if a hen laid an even number of eggs, and should this occur one should be removed or no chicks would hatch from them.
If all the eggs laid at a single laying happened to produce cockerels, this was thought to be lucky.
The persistent crowing of a cock bird between dusk and midnight is said to foretell a death.
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If a hen (not a cock bird) crowed, this was said to be a prelude to the coming of evil. 76
A cock bird crowing outside a back door was said to foretell a stranger visiting the housewife. 77