Freeland tribune. (Freeland, Pa.) 1888-1921, 1898-11-24
How to Manage Incubators.


Home and Farm is in receipt of an
inquiry asking how to manage an in
cubator and which is the best make.
AS regards the latter question an
answer is impossible, there being
many that are good. AS regards the
management, there is much to learn
apd much to practice, failure being
due for the most part 20 a neglect on
the part of the operator to perform
the necessary duties.
Many people imagine an incubator
is entirely automatic, and nothing
more than lighting lamp and filing
the egg chamber is necessary.
This is indeed a great mistake, as
those who have tried running an incu-
bator will readily agree.
There is no automatic incubator
made, all of them requiring close at
tention to every detail of nature as
furnished by the mother hen. The
two requisites for Matching are heat
and moisture, and these must be fur
nished in exact degrees. Great vari-
ations of either will cause poor
matches or produce weak and de-
formed chicks, which invariably die
in short time.
Any properly constructed machine
will hatch fertile eggs if directions
are carefully followed.
In the first place, eggs must be
from strong, vigorous hens and prop.
erly fertilized.
The machine should be started at
least thirty-six hours before filling
the egg chamber.
Should it fail to register from 90 to
102 degrees of heat, do not take any
chances, but investigate the trouble,
and do not risk your eggs until every.
thing is in working order. When the
heat remains at about 100 degrees the
egg chamber should be fitted with
nice, fresh eggs not over six to ten
days old, and the incubator closed
but carefully watched. Every twelve
hours open the egg chamber and re-
move tray for a few minutes-just
long enough to give the eggs little
fresh air.
A description of one days duties
will suffice for the first two weeks,
each days being identically the same.
After fourteen days a moisture pan
should be placed in the machine, but
care should be exercised that too
much moisture be not given.
On the eighteenth day the chicks
will begin to pip the shells, after
which the incubator should not be
tot al, al af fba al, al -,
til dry, by which time all will be
Matched, provided the heat has been
properly maintained during the hatch
ing period.
When dry take them quickly from
the machine and put them in q brood
er, which has previously been heated
and tested. Let them remain quietly
for twenty-four OF even thirty-six
hours, after which time they will be-
gin to stir around for something to
eat. Watch them, that they do not
get chilled or smothered. They
should remain in temperature of at
least ninety degrees for the first two
days.
Any good make of brooder will be
so arranged that they will require but
little care, at least for the first week.
After twenty-four hours put before
them little moistened oatmeal and
fine grit, and after another twelve
hours give them some sweet milk to
drink, being careful that they do not
soil themselves.
Treat them as near like the mother
hen would as it is possible, and there
is no reason why large proportion
will not thrive.
An incubator, like any piece of
machinery, requires some experience.
and the first efforts in the running of
one are likely to be rather costly.
Still, if directions which accompany
each machine are followed, and q
goodly amount of common sense is
exercised, the results obtained are far
more satisfactory than those from the
hen.