The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-03-23
THE FARM.


Correspondence Country Gentleman.
An excellent incubator may be made as fol-
lows: Procure half-inch matched stuff and
makea box Of any desired size, convenient one
lined with hair boiler felt, several thicknesses
of flannel, tackled with small wrought t&cks and
the ends clinched One or two cleats are put on
each side to hold frame shelf upon which nest
boxes having lattice bottoms may rest. A space
of seven inches should be left under the lowest
nest-box. The box is then covered with thick
boiler felt, and an outside casting is made to fit
closely all around, thus making double box
having boiler felt tor sheep pelt with the
wool on) inside for lining and the
same nonconductng material in the space
between the boxes. The outside is covered
with resin roofing paper. door Is
made to fit closely and having double glass
front, so that the interior can be seen. A few
half-inch holes are bored in the bottom and top
of the door for ventilation when necessary. A
tin box, having screw opening and handle
upon each end, is made to fit easily into the
box.
The nest boxes are made one inch narrower,
back and front, than the box, so to permit
the warm air to pass around and over the eggs
The heater is four inches deep. To operate
such an incubator, the heater is filed with boil
ing water. and is placed in the receptacle at the
bottom of the box until the whole is slowly
warmed up to 100 degrees. The nests are then
made IN the nest boxes as follows
A piece of boiler felt or sheep pelt
| Is Iaiu on Inc DObtOm Oh each
shelf for nest bottom some oil paper is laid on
this, and some saw-dust or bran is placed ON the
paper. The bran is mostcned, and the eggs are
put in the nest, each of which will hold about
fifty eggs. The eggs are not covered. The
heater, filed with boiling water, is then put in
its place. and covered with square of felt, and
the door is closed. thermometer is placed so
that it can be seen at any time without opening
the door. The incubator is watched carefully.
so that the heat never rises above 104o and
never falls below 1902. The holes above and be-
low the windows are closed with corks, and by
opening one or two, or covering the heater with
feltor flannel, the heat can be kept even. After
a day two of use, the regulation of the
temperature will be quite easy. l have
used such an incubator for two seasons
successfully, although my first venture
with it failed, only one-tenth of the eggs hatch
ing. The failure was in having the heat go up
to ITO degrees for several hours, when was de-
tanned from home. and a good natured but of
ficious friend volunteered to put in fresh water,
and killed the eggs. low temperature, even
as low as 70 degrees may be permitted for twelve
or even twenty-four hours, without fatal results.
but an excess of six degrees for few hours is
fatal. At night the temperature will fall to
ninety degrees before the morning but this is no
harm: the airing given by renewing the hot
water in the morning is just what is wanted,
and sprinkling of warm water moistens the
eggs and is absorbed by the bran. The eggs
may be moved about with the hand or fingers at
the same time. The boiler felt can be procured
at the shops where steam engine fittings are
kept, but several thicknesses of an old banked
or sheepskin will do just as we'll as the felt