10
HOME AND FARM MAGAZTtffl STCC!TTOtf
The following is the third of a
series of articles by Harry M.
Lainon, Senior Animal Husband
man in Poultry Investigations,
Animal Husbandry Division of
Bureau of Animal Industry of
the United States Department of
Agriculture, on the natural and
artificial incubation of hens'
eggs.
eggs. 3
THERE are a large number of re
liable makes of incubators manu
factured in this country, so that
we can not recommend any particular
machine. Some machines have become
popular in certain sections 01 the coun
try, because they were advertised ex
tensively in that section rather than on
account of special adaptability to the
climatic conditions. Cheap machines are
less reliable, require more attention,
and wear out much quicker than higher
priced incubators. As the value of the
machines is small compared with the
value of the eggs used during the nor
mal life of an incubator, it is poor econ
omy to purchase a maehine which is not
reliable. Whenever possible it is well
to select an incubator which is giving
good satisfaction, in your vicinity, so
that you may get the benefit of the
experience of other operators in you
section.
The details of construction and equip
ment of most incubators are so sub
ject to change that it is impossible to
state definitely the best kind of lamps,
brackets, regulators and other equip
ment for the different incubators. The
lamp should have a bowl large enough
to hold sufficient oil to burn at least
36 hours under average weather condi
tions; it should be easy to remove and
replace, and set absolutely tight in posi
tion. The incubator should be set so
that the lamp is at a convenient height
and the egg tray convenient to handle.
Number of Incubators.
The best size ef an incubator to bny
depends upon circumstances. It takes
about as much time to care for a 60
as it does for a 380 egg machine, so
that it is generally advisable to get
one of at least 150-egg capacity, al
though special conditions often exist
which make smaller machines valuable.
A small machine is often nsed in con
nection with a larger one, placing all
the eggs in the large maehine after the
first or second test. Incubators of from
300 to 400 egg capacity are generally
used on those large farms- which use in
dividual lamp incubators. Many poultry
men believe that it pays to have an in
cubator capacity large enough to hatch
the bulk of their stock in two or three
batches, so that much time is saved in
tending to the incubators ami brooders,
while the chickens are more even in site
than those that are hatched when the
incubating period extends over a longer
time. A fair estimate for poultry
farm is an incubator space of oae-egg
capacity per hen, provided that about
one-half of the flock is to be renewed
yearly and no outside hatching is car
ried on. The larger machines cost less
in proportion to their capacity than the
smaller ones.
Incubator Cellar or Hons.
Incubators are operates in a great
variety of places with sueeess. Where
only a few small machines are used,
they are generally run in a room or the
cellar of the house. A speeial cellar or
incubator house should be provided
where the incubator equipment is ex
tensive or where mammoth machines
are used. The main essentials are to
have a room which is not subject to
great variations in temperature and
which is well ventilated so that the air
is fresh and sweet. If built above
ground the walls should be double and
the entire building well insulated. Good
results in hatching are secured in incu
bator cellars and in incubator rooms
which are entirely above the ground
level, but the former place is more com
monly used. Incubators may be oper
ated in buildings with single walls, es
pecially in sections which have a mild
climate, but a wcii-insuiaieu room i pre
ferable. The incubator room or cellar should
be large enough to allow the attendant
to work around the machines convcn
A Weekly Page of Poultry Hints to You
Here is a Department Full of Bright Ideas For Readers of the Home and Farm Magazine Section. .
iently. Many incubator collars are pro
vided with some system of ventilation
in addition to the windows, while in
others the ventilation is controlled en
tirely by the latter method. The essen
tial features aro to keep the air in the
room frau and sweet. Muslin screens on
the windows provide good' ventilation
without draft and at the same time keep
the sun from shining on the machines.
Many incubator cellars have cement
floors, which are easier to keep clean
and neater than dirt floors.
Setting Up and Operating Incubator.
Set np the incubator according to the
manufacturer's directions, and see that
the maehine is perfectly level. If a
spirit level is not available, a long shal
low pan of water set on top of the in
cubator can be used as a level to assist
in setting up the machine. Be sure that
all parts of the incubator are in their
proper positions and that the regulator
works freely. Do not plane off the door
of the incubator, if it sticks, until the
machine has been heated np and thor
oughly dried. Run the machine at about
108 degrees P. for a day before put
ting in the eggs. It takes several hours
for the machine to come back to its
correct temperature after the eggs are
first put in; therefore' the regulator
should not be touched during that time.
Bee to the regulation onf the tempera
ture of. the incubator before opening
the door of the maehine to attend to
the eggs. Look to the care of the in
cubator earefully and regularly, but do
not change the regulator any more than
is absolutely necessary. The eggs tend
to throw off more heat as the embryo
develops, so that it may be necessary
occasionally to change the regulator
slightly. The temperature of the egg
ehamber may be regulated by lower
ing the flame of the lamp in the middle
of the day where the room is subjeet
to a considerable rise in temperature.
The machine should receive care enough
so that the temperature remains nearly
even. Most operators tend to their in
cubators two or three times daily, and
occasionally make extra trips as condi
tions require them. Incubators requiro
careful and regular attention, wnicn,
though simple, is very exacting. It at
tended to Tegularly incubators do not
take much time, while neglect will gen
erally show its effects on the hatch.
The Correct Temperature.
The eorreet temperature depends upon
the position of the thermometer in the
egg ehamber. The manufacturer's di
rections should be followed and changed
only after considerable experience in
dicates that they can be improved. The
need of this change may be due to the
fact that a manufacturer can not make
a maehine and rules which will be
adapted to all conditions. When the
bulb of the thermometer rests directly
on the eggs the temperature il usually
held at 101 1 degrees to 102 degrees F.
the first week, 102 degrees to 103 de
grees V. the second week, and 103 de
gress F. the third week; while a hang
ing thermometer is operated at about
ICS degrees to 102J degrees Jr. tae ursi
two weeks and 103 degrees, T. the last
week. At hatching time the machine
will frequently run up to 104 to 105 de
gress F. without any injury to the chick
ens. If the temperature has been right
up to hatching time, it is usually better
not to change the regulator at that time,
provided the temperature does not run
no above 105 degrees F. While the eggs
will batch just as well U tne tempera.
ture is run slightly higher than notea
above throughout the hatch, the chick
ens are apt to be wea' and hard to
raise. In a good hatch the eggs will
start to pip on the evening of the nine
teenth day, and most or tne cnicsens
will be out of the shell on the morning
of the twenty-first day. If the hatch
is much earlier or later than this it
indicates that the conditions during in
cubation have not been right. A hi
temperature may hatchtoo quickly and
produce weak chickens, while a con
tinuous low temperature throughout the
hatch will delay it for several hours.
Care of the Lamp.
Use good oil. Clean and fill the lamp
once daily, trimming the wick by scrap
ing the charred portion off with a knife
or square-edged nail, or by cutting the
wick with scissors. The burners should
be kept free from dirt and thoroughly
cleaned by boiling after each hutch
A new wick is a good investment for
each hatch, thus eliminating any danger
of the wick giving out. Turn the eggs
before earing for the lamp, so that
there will be no chance to get oil on the
eggs. The flame is apt to increase in
size after lighting, so that it is ad
visable to return about one-half an
hour after tending to the lamp to sec
that the flame is right.
Care of Machine at Hatching Time.
After the eggs begin to hatch, leave
the machine alone until the hatch is
well over. Do not open the door to see
how the eggs are hatching, as it allows
the moisture to escape, which is very
essential at this time. Keep the incu
bator dark at hatching time by cover
ing the glass in the door with a cloth
or burlap sack, so that the chicks will
not be attracted to the front of the
maehine by the light and become rest
less. When the chicks are all batched,
remove the egg tray and open the venti
lators, according to the manufacturer's
directions, and keep them in the incu
bator from 24 to 36 hours after the
hatch is over before removing them to
the brooders. If they are to be shipped
a long distance away, so that they will
be on the road two or three days, it is
better to ship them as soon as the hatch
is over and the chicks are thoroughly
dry. Chicks which pip, but are unable
to get out of tile shell by their ows
efforts, rarely amount to much if helped
out, although, if desired, when most of
the eggs are hatched and the chicks
dried off, so that they will not be in
jured by opening the incubator door,
any which have pipped may be helped
out by CTacking the shell and placing
them back on the egg tray.
Turning and Cooling the Eggs.
Eggs should bo turned and cooled ac
cording to the directions furnished with
the incubator, The eggs are usually
tnrned for the first time at the end of
the second day of incubation and twice i
daily through the eighteenth or nine
teenth day, or until the chicks com
menco to pip. After turning the eggs,
reverse the egg trays end for end, and
from one side of the machine to the
other in two-tray incubators. Keep the
incubator door closed whilo turning the
eggs, unles the directions state that it
should be left open. Various mechani
cal devices have been invented for turn
ing the eggs in the .incubator, but most
poultrymen prefer to shuffle them with
their hands, removing a lew lrora tne
center of the tray and working the
others toward that point, placing those
which were taken out on the sides of
the tray. (Cracked eggs may be saved
by putting courtplaster over the crack,
but this is advisable only in instances
where the eggs are very valuable). The
length of time to cool eggs depends upon
the temperature of the incubator room.
A good general rule is to leave the
eggs out of the incubator until they
feel Blightly cool to the nana, race
or eyelid. Cool once daily after the
seventh and up to the nineteenth day.
Place the trays of eggs on the top of
the machine or on a table in such a
position that they nre not in a draft,
and so that the tray does not project
over the edge of its support, thereby al
lowing part of the eggs to cool mucn
quicker than the rest,
a,
SHELTER SHOULD BE WELL.
THE HOUSE in which the chicks are
sheltered during the summer months
has a very marked effect upon the
Tate and continuity of growth. The
house for the summer flock is used pri
marily as a place in which to roost at
night, protected not only from the rains
and damp cold nights whieh often come
at some time during the summer, but
also from the various enemies, such as
rats, weasels, dogs, etc One of the
reasons that young birds grow so rapid
ly when allowed freo range is that they
are continuously supplied with an
abundance of fresh air, a very essential
and important requirement of growing
life of all kinds. It is of prime impor
tance to construct houses for summer
flocks with a view toward getting a
maximum .mount of fresh air. This can
be obtained only b building a house
planned so that thoro will be abundant
ventilation and circulation of fresh air
during the night.
Another quality, oilier than nbi-ndant
ventilation, which a summer colony
hmisa shonld have is roominess. Of
crurse, it is hardly necessary to allow
as much room in a house oi tnis Kino,
a nro wnnlri in a winter lavine-bouse
in which the birds would be confined
the greater part of the time, but enough
in nllnw each bird room
enough to roost without beiug crowded
is essential. Where chickens are Doing
raised in rather large numbers, the
colony system of rearing has proved to
be very efficient. By this system we
mean allowing one house to from fifty
to seventy-five birds, and keeping them
in smaller flocks rather than allowing
several hundred to run together and
roost together in one largo summer
house. The colony-house is made port
able so that it may be moved from
place to place as it may De acsiraDie
to An in order to make use of the most
economical range or keep on hand a con
stant supply of green feed.
CAKING FOR THE YOUNG.
THE object of caring for the young,
growing birds during the summer
months is to induco a uniform and
continuous growth and development
from hatching time to maturity. The
oarly care necessitates proper breeding,
which means a correct temperature and
careful feeding. If chilling is prevented
and they are kept from crowding in
the hrnndnr a trreater oereentage of the
birds hatched can be orought to the
weaning age, which is usually from
eight to ten weeks, in good condition.
After thia time thev should be put out
on the range, in fresh-air houses, and.
overy effort mado to induce a continu
ous, uniform development.
GREEN FOOD NECESSARY.
PLENTY of green succulent food is
necessary during the warm summer
months. With free range this is
usually supplied. Where small yards are
used, and it is impossible to keep grass
growing continuously, it is the beat prac
tice to divide the yard available, re
gardless of size, into two yards, alter
nating the growing of green crops in
these yards. Peas and oats are a good
early crop, but a permanent alfalfa
soil probably makes the best green food,
for, in addition to its succulence, it
carries a high nitrogon contont.
It is rarely profitable to attempt to
roar many young chuks in close confine
ment, with bare yards, without groon
food, and an absence of shade. Where
it is possible to give them an extended
range and green sward abounds they
can get plenty of grubs and insects, and
can take plenty of exercise, whieh is
conducive to health. The more range
they have, the easier it is to keep the
yard and soil green and free from con
tamination.
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k 1 1 T.g LICB
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