Sharp County record., 1877-07-20
CHICKEN.RAISING BY MACHINERY,
The Biggest Poultry Farm in me World

u Nch lOlh UDItU reporter mas Oeen
visiting the mammoth machine chicken
Matching and ouding establishment of
Mr. Baker, sunic l6 miles north of Jer-
Sey City, in the edge of the Palisades
Mr.. Baker keeps over 1000 fowls, but
these do not furnish tenth of the eggs
used, which he intends shall reach the
grand total the coming year of 100000.
The incubating apartment of his poul-
try-hOuSe is about 20 feet square, pro-
tected by double sets of windows, and
containing eight large incubators or
hatching-caSeS. Each of these cases
contains eight tiers of shallow ego
drawers, one above another, and they
will all hold, when filled, nearly 5000
eggs. Over each of these tiers of draw.
erS parallel rows of hOt-water pipes are
| placed which send out steady heat
from above upon the eggs in the trays
beneath. The gas for heating the water
is manufactured by large machine in
the basement. Burning gas-jets be-
meath each incubator heat the water in
the pipes, and by an automatic arrange
ment, whenever the heat rises above a
fixed point the supply of gas is dimin-
ished, the jets burn less brightly, and
the water in the pipes is allowed to cool
to the desired point. When that point
is reached the supply of gas is restored,
and the heating process goes on as be-
fore. An electric battery cOmmuni-
Gates with the incubatorS, and any un-
due variation of heat is announced to
the attendants through indicators.
When the eggs are near the
point of Matching the ami
NAL heat evolved from them is
so considerable that the temperature of
the air in the drawers is affected mate
rally. As even slight variations of tenn
perature are injurious to the eggs, it is
sometimes necessary, in spite Of the au-
tomato arrangement for regulating the
heat, to take out the drawers and allow
the eggs to cool; and this is done by an
attendant on the striking of an electric
bell connected with each case. The
cases are numbered, and the number of
the superheated case is shown by an in
dicator on the wall of an adiOiningroom.
When the reporter was in the room the
bells were ringing quite vigorously, and
the woman in charge was frequently
obliged to stop her explanation in or
der to pull out the trays. White, brown
and mottled eggs lay side by side in the
drawers, and the attendant showed how,
under the equable heat, from 100 de-
grees to 10 degrees, the chicks were
gradually formed. The brooding-house
is 80 by 1873 feet and divided into so sep
arate compartments, each accommodate
inc 100 chicks. The hen mother is q
hollow zinc box with slOping top, which
is filled with hot water, and placed q
few inches above the ground. The un-
der side of the box is lined with blanket
ing, and the chicks creep under it at
nighJ when th6y feel neeu OF extra
warmth. The brooding- house is heated
by steam, but the temperature varies
somewhat, and the tender chicks are
very sensitive to cold.
In another building 500 feet long di-
vided into Is compartments the laying
hens are confined. The interior is fitted
up with every thing which well regu-
lated hen could possibly require, and is
kept scrupulously clean. BY means of
an Ingenious arrangement of shifting
sasheS, the front Of the pens can be con-
verted into an open yard, covered with
mesh wire only, in which the fowls
have room to run about in and enjoy
the open air In the colder seasons this
building is heaten by steam, and Mr..
Baker has found that with stimulating
food and constant care his fowls lay
nearl y as well in winter as in summer
The food for the fowls is distributed to
the different compartments by means OF
small truck-wagOns running on a mar
row tramway which extends the whole
length Of the building. Fresh water is
carried through small iron pipes along
the entire range of pens, and the water
troughs and feeding-hoppers are models
of convenience. About 1900 laying
fowls of the different varieties are kept
in these pens-LeghOrns, Spanish,
Dorkings, Houdans and others-and all
appeared SIrOllg anu nealUny.
From this building the attendant led
the way to the cramming or forcing
house near by. This is wooden build
ing 125 feet long by 25 feet wide. I'm
like the other buildings, it is lighted by
small rather than large windows, for in
the process Of fattening the fowls dark
ness and GOODNESS have been found es-
sential. The mode Of forcing is similar
to that in use in France, but is an i'm
provement upon the French method in
many of its details. Within the house
eight upright cylinders occupy the great
er part Of the space from end to end.
These cylinders are made Of wood, and
each contains five tiers of small boxes,
pigeon-hole shaped. There are 210
boxes, accommodating the same num-
Der of fowls, in each cylinder, so that