The log cabin Democrat., 1911-03-10

ing change them from end to end, and so on. When these things are done the chickens nearly all hatch at about the same time. A hatch which is long drawn-out usually indicates that there are inequalities in the temperature of the incubating chamber which have not been overcome by changing the eggs about as indicated above.
 When the trays are taken from the incubator for the purpose of turning the eggs, they are to certain extent both aired and cooled, and if the ma chine is properly ventilated thls amount of airing and cooling IS suf1i- cient for all requirements. If the cir cuation of air is too sluggish, hoWeV- CT. better hatches will be obtained lt the eggs are left outside the machine for several minutes longer, the length of time depending upon the outside temperature and gradually lengtheing as the hatch proceeds.
 The unfertile eggs and those With dead germs are usually tested out twice during the hatch This is done so as to keep the air in the incubator as pure as possible, and when these eggs are used for feeding young chickens the more promptly they are removed after their condition can be determined by the egg tester, the bet ter. Now having started with eggs suitable for matching, having kept | them at the proper temperature. hay ing given them sufficient fresh air for the germs to develop properly, and having regulated the moisture condi tions just right, allowing the eggs neither to dry down too much nor to retain too much moisture, the chicks on the nineteenth day should begin their efforts to divest themselves of thei rchells, and on the 21st day the incubator should be full of downy, | bright-eyed chicks anXiously awaiting their liberation.
 After the eggs begin to pip they should be iterfered with as little as possible. The front door should not be opened to see how the hatch is pro- gressing, as this reduces the humidity of the air in the incubator and also lets cold air strike the chicks not yet dried off, both of which if the temper ature tends to drop, due to the drying off of large number of chicks, the lamp should be turned up higher for a time, or the regulator slightly adjust ed. On the other hand, it is frequent ly necessary when the weather is warm to remove the lamp entirely during the latter part of the hatch, the heat generated by the chickens be- ing sufficient to keep up the tempera- ture.
 After the chicks hatch they tend tc crowd toward the light, and it some times happens that those in the front tpart of the incubator become so hot by being crowded together that they pant. Impure air also may cause them to pant. Whether caused by toe much heat or by impre air, the pant ing of the chicks is unnatural and in furious, and should be stopped either by opening the ventilators so as tc give more air, by reducing the temper ature, or by removing some of the chicks to the brooder, ga as to give those remaining more room.
 From the time the chick pips the shell until it is transferred to the brooder and has become hardened and accustomed to it's new surroundings is a very critical time in it's history, and mistakes made at this time are almost irreparable. If cold draft of air strikes the chicks which are not dried off, if they are exposed to the cold air while being transferred to the brooder, they wander outside and become chilled before they learn where to go to get warm, they will catch cold, inflammation of the lungs will result in many instances and the chicks will die, or if the chicks be- come overloaded in the incubator or are allowed to pant on account of the lack of sufficient fresh air, they are seriously weakened, and many of them will die before they are 10 days old from bowel trouble. In fact, to ob- tain the best results, almost constant supervision should be exercised dur ing this trying period of the chick S life.