The New Bloomfield, Pa. times. (New Bloomfield, Pa.) 1877-188?, 1877-12-25
Chicken Matching.


although it was long ago carried on
successfully in China, Egypt, and other
Eastern countries. Here it has many
difficulties to contend with, arising
chiefly from our variable climate. In
the Matching houses the eggs must have
u uniform heat, always of the requisite
degree, while to rear the young broods
an artificial summer must be created and
maintained.
An enterprising American, Mr.. w. G.
Baker, has apparently succeeded in
overcoming these difficulties to such an
extent that he may count with tolerable
certainty upon being able to furnish
young chickens for the market in every
season of the year. The buildings and
appliances for this new enterprise, are
located near Mr.. Bakers residence on
the Palisades, near Cresskill, New Jer-
sey. The Matching house is building
25 by 90 feet on the sides, and two stories
high, besides the attic and cellar. In
the latter are placed the hot water and
steam boilers-the first to supply heat
for incubation, the second to pump
water into large tank in the attic,
whence it is distributed over the premises
through iron pipes. On the first floor
of this building are the keepers apart
ments, and part of the machinery for
making gas for lighting all the buildings
on the grounds. On the second floor are
the room containing the incubators, :"
the office, ,theattendants' 'sleeping-rooms,
and the electric batteries which furnish
the means for controlling the tempera-
ture about the eggs, and by which an
alarm is given should the air become too
hot or too cold.
The incubators consist of eight shallow
water tanks of galvanized iron, kept at
the proper temperature by means of
electricity, the. current of which is
governed by thermostrats placed in the
water, and acting upon hampers which
let on or exclude the heat from the boiler
room according as the temperature
varies. Close under each of these tanks
are placed eight pans, also of galvanized
iron. Those pans are two inches deep.
Each will hold eighty eggs Thus the
capacity of these machines is 5120 eggs
at once, or, if constantly running, and
allowing the natural period of incuba-
ton (twenty-one days. for each batch,
$1,000 yearly.
When the eggs have been in the incu-
bators four days, they are examined by
holding them before brilliant concen-
trated light. The eggs that are " clean"
that is, unfertile-are as good as when
first laid; the added eggs are at once
cooked for chicken food, while the fertile
eggs are returned to the pans for the re-
naming period of incubation. The
treatment of the eggs is as nearly as
possible in imitation of the natural
process of Matching. From one-half to
two-thirds of the eggs thus artificially
treated produce healthy chickens.
When they first emerge from the shell
the chickens are as wet as though they
had been immersed in water. They are
at once placed in less shallow pans,
where they are kept for few hours,
until dry, when they are removed to the
= clearinghouse" This is a glass
building, $50 feet long, 80 feet wide, and
l6 feet high in the centre. Here are
twenty-five oval-shaped, tanks, 10 feet
long, 90 inches wide, and 6 deep, the
under side of which is covered with
81 -, ho oh; ;olx %
nestle against for warmth and rest.
These tanks are filled with heated water
and serve the double purpose of brooding
the chickens and keeping the building
warm. Here may be seen flowers, vege-
tables, lettuces, and other tender green
food for the nourishment of the infant
poultry. On one side of each of these
brooding tanks are two yards, about six
by ten feet each, separated from each
other by wire-cloth fences. In each of
these yards are placed 100 of the newly
Matched chickens, at full liberty to
scratch the ground, pick insects from
the plants, or run under the " brooders. I"
When about three weeks old, the chick
ems are removed to the hennery," a
part of which is moderately heated.
There they remain for about four weeks,
or until ready for the market.
The attempt to raise large numbers of
chickens by artificial means has hitherto
met with scanty success, which may be
ascribed principally to lack of scientific
knowledge, as well as neglect on the part
Of the persons engaged in the under
taking TO attend thoroughly to the