Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1913-04-25
THE CARE OF POUL Try
SELECTION AND CARE OF HATCH
ING EGGS INCUBA-
BATORS

SELECTION AND CARE OF HATCH
ING EGGS 1NCUBA- .s
GATORS
Considerable care must be exercised
in the selection and care OF eggs Tor
Matching. In cold weather they are
gathered frequently in order that they
may not become chilled in the nests.
Only thick shelled, smooth eggs OF
large size are set. They must be OF
typical egg shape, slightly larger at
one end than the other, but not point
ed. Neither must they be ridged, rough,
or "water marked.'' While some eggs
of this character may hatch, the chicks
are likely to be weaklings, and the con-
seQuent loss great.
The eggs are placed in cool place
that is not too dry. The temperature
should remain fairly constant. About
60 degrees is the best; however, slight
variations are not dangerous. If the
temperature falls to point that the
eggs are chilled, the germ is weakened
in consequence. Where the temperature
runs very high, termination, will start
and the eggs will decompose if not in
cubated at once.
To obtain the greatest per cent
Matched, eggs should not be kept over
a week or ten days, as they dry out
too much, and the latent life Of the
germ is weakened. If kept too long it
dies. If it is necessary to hold the
eggs longer than ten days it is best to
pack them in bran or oats with the lit
tie end down.
As the eggs are gathered and stored,
they are turned half over every day or
two. This prevents the germ from be-
coming attached to the lining men,
brane of the shell. In case this happens
development is prevented. This is
frequently the cause Of dead germs
that are discarded at the first test.
Before setting the eggs, if incubators
are used, they are thoroughly disin-
fected before using. Infected incuba-
tors are frequently the cause Of many
disorders of chicks, especially white
diar1hea. The incubator is run day
or two before the eggs are set, in
order that it may be properly regula-
ted.
All dirty eggs are cleaned with warm
water and a soft cloth. They must not
be handled with dirty or greasy
fingers; this dirt or grease stops the
pores of the shell, thus preventing the
germ from getting the necessary sup
ply of air which is taken in through
these pores.
If hens are set, sod or few inches
of damp earth is placed under the
straw in the nest. This will keep the
eggs from drying out too fast. Fol
best results eggs should not be hatch
ed later than the middle Of May
Chicks Matched later than this, do not
thrive nor will they come to laying
maturity early enough to be profitable
Incubation
After the incubator has been set W
and run empty for a couple Of days
and regulated the fraction Of degree
it is ready for the eggs. The tray
should be filled but not crowded O.
breakage will result. The eggs must no
stand on end. After the incubator i
closed it must not be hurried. Some
times the temperature will come to tn
proper point in a few hours, at othe
times it may take half day.
AS for the proper temperature, tn
instructions given with each incubato
should be followed closely. The differ
ent positions of the thermometer in tn
slightly different heats. However,
high temperature is more to be feare
than a low one. A heat higher thai
lO4 degrees for short time is suf
'ficient to ruin hatch, while there ar
instances where temperature as low
as 80 degrees for several hours did no
effect the hatch at all.
The eggs should be turned night an
morning after the second day. This i
done easily by removing a few egg
from the centre Of the tray and gentl,
rolling the rest with the palm of tn
hand.
The eggs are aired once day, tn
length of time depending on the tenn
perature of the room, and the evapora
ton. In room at ordinary tempera
ture, free from direct drafts on tn
eggs, 10 to 20 minutes is not too Ion,
after the first week. If the moisture i
the eggs is evaporating rapidly tn
time Of airing must be shortened.
The moisture question is grea
stumbling block. Once this is solved
successful matches will be the rule, othe
things being normal. A good way t.
test for evaporation is to place dis]
of sand in the machine in the morning
If it is dry at night, or nearly so, i
indicates rapid evaporation, and i
should be replaced until it remain
fairly damp. If the sand remains fairl.
damp after several hours, the ventila
tors should be opened wider and tn
eggs aired longer.
It is better to have slight exces
of moisture rather than too little Lac]
of moisture cause chicks to die in tn
shell: while an oversupply make tn
chicks swell to such size that the,
have no room to liberate themselves a
the proper time. -.
The eggs are tested on the sevent
and fourteenth days. All infertile
broken yolks, and dead germs shout
be taken out. In testing eggs practic
is of good deal more value than pre-