The Portland daily press., 1894-01-30
INeUBAToRs AND BRooDERs.
Webb DonnelI Tells How These Machines
Ought to Be Managed.

Machines for the artificial hatchinn
Of chickens, ducks and turkeys are now
IN use by thousands of individuals all
over the country, some of whom make
the work success, while others make
| shipwreck of the business. The fact
that many have excellent success shows
that these machines are practical and
valuable assistants in the raising of
| poultry. The first condition necessary
for success is to secure properly con-
structed machine. There are MANY
kinds of incubators that will do good
work, so that the choice is not closely
limited. II one is about to purchase,
it will be well to get the advice of some
friend who has had experience in this
kind OF Matching. One of the first es-
sentlals is that the machine be accurate
ly self regulating, for though person
may in time become skillful enough to
run machine without regulator the
risks are too great even in that case
says Webb Donnell, who writes as fol.
lows in The American Agriculturist:
The question of moisture is an inn
portant one, for this is the most art;-
fetal part of artificial incubation. In
the natural way the hen seems to cover
the egg with secretion that causes it
to shine-a secretion that presumably
keeps the fluid part of the egg from
evaporating rapidly. The presence of
moisture in the egg chamber of an in
cubator is supposed to answer the same
purpose. At any rate it is important.
particularly toward the end of the
hatch. Without moisture the lining
membrane of the egg would soon be-
come tough and dry when the she'll is
pipped-and this brings US to another
difficulty that many experience. Their
eggs begin to hatch we'll, but the
chicks have great difficulty In getting
out Of the shell. Much of this trouble
is caused by opening the egg chamber
too frequently during the process of
Matching. This let's out the moist air.
1t is wise plan to open the egg cham
Der not more than once during the
Matching period, and then to be as quick
as possible in taking out the chicks.
Incubators will always give the best
results when placed where the tempera-
ture will not change to very great ex-
tent. The greatest difficulty that arti-
fetal incubation encounters, in the win
ter and early spring, is the infertility
of the eggs. At this season of the year
the hens exercise very little, are fire.
uuSnt1v ovorfot .11 oro of%.. e..a4 LIZ
ten, either in combs or toes. Want of
exercise is specially disastrous to fertil-
ity in the eggs. All of these conditions
are largely under the control of the
owner, however, for the pens can be
kept warm, the fowls can be kept
scratching ard fed mountaineering foods,
which will thus be egg producing foods.
To successfully run an incubator one
should understand fully the physiology
of the growth of chicken from the
germ till it breaks the she'll.
Those who use incubators are Of me-
cessity compelled to use breeders, while
they are very frequently used by those
who hatch their chickens by natures
methods, considering that the advan-
tages of such a plan outweigh the dis
advantages. Without debating the
soundness of this idea, there are certain
points in the management Of breeders
that may profitably be discussed. The
great disadvantage to be met in run
ming brooder during cold weather is
the difficulty that is found in getting
the chicks to exercise sufficiently-a
matter that is of vital Importance if
one would have them grow thriftily.
At least two inches of chaf and sand
should be kept upon the bottom of the
brooder, and finely cracked wheat and
corn thoroughly mixed through it. I'm
less they can run out upon the ground
they must be kept scratching in the
brooder.
Another source Of trouble is that of
temperature. Little chicks must have
plenty of warmth. If they once get
chilled, it is doubtful if they ever fully
recover from it. Ninety degrees is
about right for the start, and it must be
remembered that chicks as they grow
have less and less protection until their
feathers appear. The breeders must be
kept clean. Plenty of dry chaff and road
dust will assist in this direction. Ex-
ercise, warmth, cleanliness, together
with plenty of easily digested, nitrog-
snous food and water SO arranged
that the floor cannot become wet, will
cause chicks to make a very respectable
showing, while it they can run out up
on the ground they will grow rapidly
and escape many of the disasters that
befall those reared by hens.
Agricultural News and Notes.
The London Times estimates the
wheat area in Great Britain at 1,79S,-
500 acres and the crop at 4e, 429, 407
bushels. More land is devoted to bar
ley than to wheat, or 2,257, 293 acres,
and still more to oats, 4,435, 944 acres.
A New Jersey farmer who has tried
both asserts that there is less work.
less worry and less waiting in the firms
of Chemicals & Glover than in the part
nership of Steers & Slower.
For the best show pea English gar
deners recommend President Garfield.