The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-04-20
Poultry Dept.
By Mrs. S. p. Pike
ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION.

ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION.
In these days of extensive poultry
culture, artificial incubation is the
rule rather than the exception. The
greater profit obtained by the sale of
the early Matched chick and the diff
ficulty in persuading the hen TO set
early enough, has taught the wide
awake poultryman that he must rely
on the incubator TO produce his early
fries.
| cannot recommend any special
make of incubator nor any special
style, for any of the standard makes
have been tried and proven success
full, and the style should be selected
TO meet the needs of the operator.
Every manufacturer sends out a GER
tain set of fixed rules adapted TO the
use of the machines he manufactures
and these directions should be close
ly followed by the operator if he
would be successful. These direc-
tons usually pertain to regulating and
adjusting the machine.
The amateur should always run an
incubator empty for at least twelve
hours after the damper is regulated.
and the least trouble will be caused
during incubation if care be taken TO
have the damper raised about one
eighth of an inch when the tempera-
ture in the egg chamber reaches just
103 degrees, for then the regulator
will be able to take care of any sud
den change in temperature, either
higher or lower, and the regulator
screw will not have to be changed at
any time after the eggs are placed
in the machine.
We do not begin to air and turn
the eggs until the second or third day
after they were placed in the incu-
bator. and then they should be cool
ed every morning from ten to TWEEN
ty-five minutes. depending on the
temperature of the room and the
length of time they have been set,
starting to air them the first week
for from ten to fifteen minutes, and
gradually increasing the length of
time up until the eighteenth day.
| They should be turned twice day;
after the cooling process in the morn
ing and again at night without cool
they be turned half over. Just so
the position of the eggs are changed,
thus changing the position of the
germ and allowing it to develop in
all directions. A gentle movement
with the palm of the hand is nearest
like the motion given by the old hen
than any other way, and the closer
we stick to nature the better the re-
| suits we are sure to have. And then
| too, rubbing the eggs against each
other has a tendency to make the
shells sleek and smooth, again imi-
tating the natural way.
On the evening of the eighteenth
| day is usually the last opportunity
to turn the eggs, for If the heat has
been kept up to the required tenn
perature the chicks should begin to
pip through the shells on the nine
teenth day and the doors of the ma
chine should be closed and not opened
until the greater per cent of the hatch
| is finished.
Now about testing the eggs in the
! incubator, something not usually
done when the eggs are set under
! the hens. We always test twice dur
ing the incubation period, usually
about the tenth day for the first test
and on the seventeenth for the sec
ond and last. When you leave I'M
fertile eggs in your incubator, you
are just requiring that much more
heat to keep up the temperature, for
there are no germs in the infertile
eggs to create heat. Then at the
time of your second test you are
able to take out all the eggs contain
ing dead germs which might create
an unpleasant and unhealthy odor in
the machine, thereby communicating
the live germs and causing weakness
and disease in the chicks that hatch.
Then another thing, when you test
the eggs, especially the last time, you
can ascertain whether or not the air.
cell is large enough to provide suf-
ficient air to support the chick until
the shell is broken. On the seven
teenth day the air cell should occupy
a space equal to one-third of the con.
tents of the egg. If the air space is
too small, the circulation of air in
your incubator is not right and should
be remedied at once.
| Now, we have found that a greater
amount of heat is needed this year tC
increase the hatch. Last year We