Wausau pilot. [volume] (Wausau, Wis.) 1896-1940, 1909-04-27


From the time the eggs are put into
the incubator till the chicks are out
Of the brooder and able to take care
Of themselves the subject of fresh air
and ventilation must never be lost sight
Of, says the Chicago Weekly Inter
Ocean. All living animals require
oxygen for the support OF life, and
this oxygen is supplied by the air we
breathe. AS soon as the chick begins
to develop in the egg, which is a very
short time after II Is under the infiu-
ence Of heat, IL requires air. The egg
shell Is porous. and through its pores
gases are given out and taken In. Lifts
fires Of the eggs begin to burn soon
after incubation starts, and oxygen of
the air passing in through the egg shell
pores supports this combination. Sew.
eTal days before the immature chick
is ready to break the shell IT begins
to use Its lungs as breathing organs.
This calls for an added supply Of air
as incubation advances.
Every incubator is provided with
ventilation openingsfor constaRtsup-
ply of fresh air. Perfect ventilation In
an incubator is necessary to insure d
good hatch. The gases that arise from
the eggs must be forced from the egg
chamber Immediately or the chicks will
die In the she'll This is accomplished
by a constant supply OF pure, warm
air being forced into II gradually. By
use Of lighted match or piece Of burn
ing paper 1t is an easy matter 10 tell
whether the ventilatIng device of an
incubator is working.
There has been much discussion aud
difference OF opinion as TO whether
air supplied to eggs while incubating
should be dry or moist Eggs l-y ma
ture during incubation lose some nois-
ture and weight. But Just how much
water the eggs should lose is not defn-
itely known. Dry air will dry out eggs
faster than moist air, and II the ALI
supplied through ventilation be too dry
best results are not secured. Natural
air in winter and spring, when most OF
the eggs are Matched, contains con-
siderable amount Of moisture. Under
ordinary conditions abe natural mois-
ture of the air Is sufficient for the
needs Of the eggs. But n dry times or
when the incubator IS located in a very
dry room II is advisable TO supply mois-
ture artiHcially. This is usually done
by keeping in the egg chamber OF the
machine a small sponge saturated with
vsater. The ventilation Of the brooder
is Of as much Importance as the ven.
tilation Of the incubator The infant
chicks must have an abundant supply
Of fresh air at all times or they WIN
become weak and fall Tn easy prey TO
disease and death. Not only must the
brooder have openings for taking In
fresh air and letting oat foul air. brt
the living chamber must be largs
enough so that 1t =ill always contain
an excess Of pure over impure air. Do
not crowd too many chicks in small
brooder, az this tends TO keep the air
vitiated. Give plenty Of room, With
plenty Of fresh air.
A suitable protected run should b.
connected with the brooder so that the
chicks viii come out Of the brooder fire.
cuently during the daytime for food.
water and exercise. The more often
tSsy can be induced naturally 10 coma
ont into the open air the stronger and
healthier they win be- Their going In
and ont is equivalent to ventilation