The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1909-09-02
Co.
COR. WEST AND GROVE SITS
Rutland. Vermont.

them in vigorous condition. If posi-
bic the breeding pen should be large
enough so as to include a little green
feed, such as clover or rape If this
cannot be done little forage cut and
put In the pen every day will be rel
lsheG.
The sitting hens should have a
small house or compartment to them
selves This will avoid the great an
noyance of having nests broken up
and fresh eggs laid In with those al
most ready to hatch. This house
should be provided with charcoal, grit
md oyster shells. A dust bath In
which the hens can roll will help to
keep them free from lice Oats, wheat
md some sort Of green food make
good ration. When very expensive
eggs are set IT Is best to keep each
hen In a compartment by herself, as
there will be less risk Of having the
nest broken up. Soon after the chick
ems are hatched they can be marked
by punching a hole through the web
Of the toe, so that they can be picked
put trom the rest Of the flock In the
fall
Selecting the Incubator.
Although incubators are not well
adapted to raising chickens for the
breeding flock. they are indispensable
to the poultryman who is raising fowls
for market, They are more reliable and
moro easily cared for than hens. They
Ire ready to 90 to work at any time,
70 TINT cnrly chickens can be raised
In much larger numbers than with
hens.f The broody hens can be broken
up and will soon go to laying again
Not the least among tie advantages OF
the incubator is the fact that the
chicks will be free from lice when
hatched.
There are two general types Of incu-
bators, the hot air and the hot water
machines. The heat In the hot air
machine is furnished by currents OF
warm air which circulate around the
egg chamber and In the hot water ma
chine by hot water circulating through
metal pipes. The hot air machine Is
simpler and generally gives better sat
isfaction
The two most important points to
consider in buying an incubator are
the lamp and the regulator, since upon
the efficiency Of these depends the
maintenance Of constant tempera
ture in the egg chamber The lamp
The reservoir should hold enough oil
for twenty-elght to thirty hours run
The burner should be OF brass, with a
cotton wick which fits snugly and yet
works easily II II important to use
the highest grade Of OIL that can be
obtained, as a steady heat cannot be
maintained with cheap oil.
The function Of the regulator Is to
thus lessening or increasing the amount |
Of hot air that goes into the machine. |
or all the many kinds Of regulators |
none works more satisfactorily than |
the double disk type The disks should |
be four or FIVE inches across II I
smaller they are not sensitive enough |
The regulator should be placed toward |
the back part Of the egg chamber and
high enough so that II VIII be well up
out Of the way. Avoid incubators
that have the regulator lever on top Of
the machine Such a lever Is always
IN the way and II liable to be bent or
displaced A machine that has the
lever at the end or under a false top
Is much more satisfactory. There Is
nothing IN the way on top, and II can
be used as table for testing. turn.
Ing and cooling eggs
The body ~ The incubator should be
made OF weu fitted hard wood. with
three walls and two dead air spaces.
50 as 20 be as little affected by the
outside temperature as possible. The
legs should be strong and firmly at
iacbed The doors should be Of double
glass The egg trays should slide
easily, and there should be at least
three and a half inches clearance be.
tween the eggs and the top Of the
.hamber The nursery below the trays
should he AZ least four Inches deep.
This lower space Is needed for the
lewly Matched chicks. This nursery
q sometimes made 10 slide out like
lrawm This Is great convenience
n removing the chickens
A small hale covered with rsmoya.
Ne slide win provide al the ventila-
ion needed In addition to that obtain
q when the doors are open for turn
ng the eggs. A wet sponge kept an.
Ter the egg trays viii usually furnish
sufficient moisture. The amount of