The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-08-20

O and last of series of articles o
o by Harry M. Lamon, Senior 9
@ Animal Husbandman in Poultry o
9 Investigations, Animal Husban-, o
Q dry Division of Bureau of Ami o
. NAL Industry of the United 9
o States Department of Agricult- 9
@ ure, on the natural and arti- .
Q ficial incubation of hens eggs. o
% 9 o o o 9 o o 9 @ @ o O o o o o
Moisture and Ventilation.
Moisture and ventilation are closely
related factors in incubation, the
amount of each depending upon the
other. The former is one of the uncer-
tain factors, for as yet no very salts
factory rules have been evolved which
will cover all conditions. Good matches
are secured both with and without using
moisture, under APPARENTLY similar condi.
tions, while each operator generally
works out by experience the best amount
of moisture to use under his conditions.
The moisture and ventilation should,
with correct heat, produce a normal
chick at the end Of the incubation
period. Too much moisture may pre-
vent the normal evaporation necessary
to allow enough space for the chicken
to turn in the egg and break the shell,
while too little moisture may cause the
chicken to become dried and stick to
the she'll Moisture is used extensively
in Matching in the South, in high alti-
tudes, and in places where the incubator
is run in a dry room.
Many methods are used to supply
moisture in incubators such as sprink-
ling the eggs with warm water at about
100 degrees F., or placing a pan of wa
ter, receptacle containing moist sand,
or wet sponge below the egg tray. An
other common method Of supplying mois
ture is to sprinkle or soak the floor of
the incubator room or to place pail
of water under the lamp There is less
danger of getting too much moisture
in the incubator by this method than
by putting moisture directly into the
egg chamber. If moisture tray or
sponge have been added to a non n-mois-
ture machine, they should generally be
taken out before the chicks pip. The
question of moisture depends largely
on the place where the incubator is
located. If run in a room in q dwell
ing house. it is frequently necessary to
add moisture even to non-moisture ma
chimes, while such machines run in an
ordinary cellar in the same building
might not need extra moisture When
large number Of machines are operated
in one room. extra moisture is more
necessary than if only few are kept
together, Will, more moisture must be
supplied in very dry than in humid
climate.
The air cell varies in size with the
size of the egg, while the shape varies
greatly in different eggs. Moisture ON
the glass door of the incubator during
Matching time is the best indication of
correct moisture conditions during in
cubation. A good way to learn the
proper amount of evaporation during in
eubation is to set one or two hens when
starting the incubator, and compare the
size of the air cell in the eggs under
these two conditions when testing on the
seventh and fourteenth days. As the
weather becomes warmer more moisture
is generally used than earlier in the
season. Many oprators add moisture
only during the latter part of the hatch,
generally on the sixteenth, seventeenth
and eighteenth days
Testing Eggs.
An egg, whether impregnated or not,
has a small grayish spot on the surface
of the yolk known as the "germinal
spot' As soon as a fertile egg is placed
under hen, or in an incubator, de-
velopment begins. All eggs should be
tested at least twice during the period
of incubation, preferably on the seventh
and fourteenth days, and the infertile
eggs and dead germs removed. White
eggs can be tested on the fourth or fifth
day, while the development in eggs hav-
ing brown shells often can not be seen
by the use of an ordinary egg tester
until the seventh day. Dead germs soon
decay and give off bad odor if al
lowed to remain in an incubator. In