West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1909-09-09

hens. Tho broody hens can DO broken
up and VIII soon SO to laying again.
Not tho least among tho advantages OF
tho incubator Is tho fact that tho
chicks VIII DO FREQ from lico when
hatched.
There are two general types OF incu-
bators, tho hot air and tho hot water
machines. Tho heat I'm tho hot air
machine Is furnished by currents OF
warm air which circulate around tho
egg chamber and In tho hot water ma.
chino by hot water circulating through
metal pipes. Tho hot air machine IL
simpler and generally gives better sat
isfaction
Tho two most important points TO
consider I'm buying an incubator are
the lamp and the regulator, since upon
tho efficiency OF these depends tho
maintenance OF n constant tempcra.
turo In tho egg chamber. Tho lamp
ana chimney should be OF heavy metal
Tho reservoir should hold enough oil
for twenty-eight 60 thirty hours run.
The burner should be OF brass. with
cotton wick which fits snugly and vet
works easily. It is important TO uso
the highest grado OF oil that can be
obtained. as n steady heat cnnnot be
maintained with cheap oil.
Tho function OF the regulator ~ Tn
raise or lower valve over the lnmp.
thus lcssening or increasing the amount
of hot mir that goes into the machine.
or all tho many kinds OF regulators
mono works moro satisfactorily than
the double disk type. Tho disks should
DO four or flvo inches across. II
smaller they arc not sensitive enough.
Tho regulator should be placed toward
tho back part Of ,.ho egg chamber and
high enough so that it VIII bo we'll up
out OF tho way. Avoid incubators
that have the regulator lever on ton OF
tho machine. Such a lever is always
In tho way and is liable 20 bo bent or
displaced. A machine that has the
lever nt tho end or under false ton
Is much more satisfactory. There is
nothing In tho way on top, and it can
DO used as n table for testing. turn
Ing and cooling eggs.
Tho body OF tho incubator should no
mado OF we'll fitted hard wood. with
three walls and two dead mir spaces.
30 as TO DO as little affected by tho
legs should bo strong and firmly at-
tached. Tho doors should bo OF double
glass. The egg trays should slide
easily, and there should bo mt lenst
three and half inches clearance be-
tween tho eggs and the top OF tho
chamber. Tho nursery below tho trayg
should bc at least four inches deep.
This lower space Is needed for tho
newly hatched chicks. This nursery
is sometimes made TO slide out like n
drawer. This is u great convenience
In removing tho chickens.
a small hole covered with n remova-
bio slido VIII provide all tho ventila-
tfon needed I'm addition 20 that obtain
cd when the doors arc open for turn
Ing the eggs. A wet sponge kept un-
der the egg trays will usually furnish
sufficient moisture. The amount of
moisture needed can be determined by
the size Of tho air cell In tho big end
of tho egg. II this gets TO be more
than one-flfth tho size OF the egg more
moisture should be supplied
Handling tho Incubator.
There is no better place for the In
~NDNNSA u SituLf hIl IL
should DO run empty for at least
day before tho eggs are put I'm, 30 as
to get the fame ana regulator adjust
ed. Tho flame should bo clean and
bright and tho regulator set so as to
maintain n constant temperature OF
100 Il.
1t takes day or two TO get the eggs
warmed up after they are put in. BY
tho third day the thermometer should
be up TO 103 and should bo kept there
tho rest of tho time. The eggs should
be tested the third day and infected or
dead ones taken out. The eggs should
bo turned every morning until tho
nineteenth day. This can be done by
rolling them over with the hand or
placing another tray over them and
turning them completely over. After
turning they should DO left out ton or
fifteen minutes to cool. After tho nine