The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1891-03-07
THE FARMERS HOUR.
DIST OF THE INCUBATOR Husl-
NESS.
Thoroughly Investigated by an inqslrIns Farm
er-PoInts ON Fruit Raisins--'aiusb
Pointers Tereiy Gisen-inier-
estIng Dairy Notes.



have at various times tried num-
Der OF incubators, says practical
Nav York farmer. and have seen
many more in operation. There are
hundreds OF them In Hammouton. N.
j.. both In use and out oil use. and
there is the place to learn something
about them and their uso and useful
ness. found the people there by no
means unanimous In their opinion
concerning tho comparative merits OF
the different styles and perhaps even
not in harmony about the merits OF
the machine or idea rs an incubaung
device. There is one thing l have
learned TO my satisfaction. namely |
that the hatch is an uncertain guam
titv nj best There are a great |
many more people who bug incuba-
tors. than who use them or continue
10 use them. The uncertainties and
yexations OF the business disgust the
great majority OF those who engage In
the chicken business rs means of
earning living. This is Tact that
can not be- controverted. Usually the
enthusiasm soon gets cooled of. Few
OF the many who go In. reach any kind
OF success. have known beginners
nj the very first start to have first
rate hatch rs or so per cent with a
crude machine, and when they thought
they had certain thing, and went In
heavier, all at once 20 make failure
after failure. / have known experts
fail in getting even satisfactory
hatch, without being able TO assign
reason for IT,
II should be understood that hatch
ing eggs per incubator Is something
lint has TO be learned. There are
many fine points about 1T, that even
the expert Is often puzzled about Yet
! with study and perseverance, success
Is within reach. and for people who
raise chickens and eggs by the thou
sand, incubators are an absolute me-
cessity. Where operations are re-
strlctod TO hundreds OF fowls only.
however, / think we might use safer
and simpler way OF Matching. FOR
some time have had 1t in my mind.
to try the virtues OF turkey hens as
, incubators. We all know them TO be
: steady settlers, and usually very tract
D able ones besides. Less generally
4 known IL is. however. that turkey hens
l can easily be made TO set at any dc
sired time. All that Is needed. is u
, arrange some nest boxes. say two fee
long. one foot wide and i.
F, feet deep Glong the wall
!. dark room, put some lite
: in the nests and here set tho turke.
' hens upon few glass or wooden eggs
y Keep them confined by covering tn
d boxes with n cover OF wire netting o
2 slniA Nests made in barrels laid up
Q ON the ground aud screen door fixe
before the opening will also answer
or course the bird does not take
The nest at once. She will struggl
md try TO get out for day or two
soon. however. she will settle down
y business and become broody. The
10 tho eggs to the number OF 20, IL hen
10 eggs, or Is II duck eggs, may !
H. placed under her. She may lay rigi
g along while setting on eggs. ana IL 81
rs the nest should be examined ever
by day, nrd the fresh laid eggs removed
~ This may be done while the bird Is
80 The nest feeding, for OF course,
80 chance should DO given her TO do
a. once a day.
- Whom the chicks hatch, they shou
he be taken out, and a new lot OF ogI
as put under tho old hen, or she may
ny allowed 20 take care OF her brood.
the business Is carried on extensive
enough. regular brooder oil any
The styles now advertised. or HON
y, made one. will come very handy. IN
~ Is my plan. know IL Is practicabl
ais even II have never tried It, on mn 9
ne 1ensive scale. Al any rate. for small
81 operations, II Is safer. simpler. a.
,ly CAST but not leasD cheaper than y
ais method OF Matching by means OF !
*. .-seli-regulatingr incubator. costl
10 S75 or 800 each. The turkey n
IN needs uoxt 10 no watching. but CIV
ny The best seltregulating. self-adju
49, =. nbio incubator. with patent egg turn'
nv and all sorts OF safety" alarms
se. contrivanccs, electric or otherwi'
- neoJs no end OF watching.
u..al., More strnw.