Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1913-04-17

La FlI much experience hatchlng
with hens and with incuba-
tors knows for himself that the
incubator is to be preferred, for many
reasons. One of these is that il is
no more trouble to take care OF an
incubator holding 200 eggs than II
is 0 care fer two setting hens; and
the incubator is always ready to work,
no matter what time in the year 1t is
called upon.
The incubator of today is a very
reliable machine, if properly handled
After long experience l have con-
clIded that most incubators lack in
the way of ventilation. By this |
mean that they are not so ventilated
that the proper quantity of fresh air
gets into the egg-chamber. To over
come this by introducing more fresh
air seems to be a rather hard task
in machines, but cooling or airing the
eggs rectiffes this defect.
| am not q believer in the nor-mois-
ture feature of some incubatOra for
all times and places. When an iDcu-
ally brings off a good hatch without
added moisture, but when operated in
a room above ground, especially in a
house where fires are kept up, it is
without doubt better to supply some
moisture after the tenth day.
To be absolutely fair I want 20 add
that l have some excellent results
from a non-moisture incubator operat-
ed under unfavorable conditions
now have and use an incubator which
has a moisture pan in it and | have
never had a poor hatch from it.
] would not hesitate to buy a non
moisture incubator because one can
be used with moisture almost as cas-
lily as any other machine | would.
however, place a pie-tin filed with
water or a fairly large sponge we'll
wetted. under the egg-drawer about
the tenth day. Again it is often best
to have as many chicks of the same
size sad age as possible, as an even
lot sells better than one OF many
sizes
There are many other reasons why
the incubator is preferable to the
hen as a Matching machine, but It is
not necessary to go into this. Some
short rules which have been found
good by long experience will be bet
ter than a long discussion of the sub
ject and l give these below:
Start the incubator and operate it
a few days before putting in the eggs.
This will give the operator famil-
lar knowledge of the workings OF the
machine. Try to keep the tempera-
ture in the egg chamber as near 100
degrees. as possible. A variation of
one degree either way will not do any
particular harm.
When you have learned how to keep
q comparatively even temperature put
the eggs in the tray. The tempera-
ture will fall at once, but do not try
to change this by putting on more
heat. The cold eggs cause the fall
in temperature and as soon as they
become warm the temperature will go
back to the proper point.
Learn to keep the lamp fame Just
at the place where it will furnish
enough heat to keep the regulator
damper about one-eighth of an inch
above the top OF the fiue or chimney.
This viii give enough surplus heat so
the temperature will keep up during
the night
Turn the eggs for the first time at
the end Of the second day and after
that turn them at least twice a day.
Recent experiments have shown that
a hen changes the position OF her
eggs as many as FIVE times in q day.
1t is not necessary that eggs be turned
half over. If they are turned only
part way over the effect will be Just
as good.
Keep the larger end of each egg a
little higher than the smaller end.
When turning the eggs do not be
in hurry about getting them back
into the machine. Once a day leave
them out to air and cool off. This
cooling should last from ten to thirty
minutes according to the state Of the
weather.