The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-05-08
RIJ[ Is
Are Given in a Farmers Bdlle-
tin for the Running of
Incubators.

H.
Users Of incubators are given the
following suggestions in new free
publication of the Department Of
agriculture entitled Natural and
Artificial Incubation Of Hens Eggs, .
(Farmers' Bulletin No. 5S5. y:
See that the incubator is running
STEADILY at the desired temperature
before filling with eggs. Do not
ada fresh eggs to tray containing
eggs which are undergoing incuba-
ton.
Turn the eggs twice daily after the
second and until the nineteenth day.
Cool the eggs once daily, according
ID, the weather from the seventh 10
tho nineteenth day.
Turn the eggs before caring for
the lamps.
Attend to the machine carefully
at regular hours.
Keep the lamp and wSck clean.
Test the eggs on the seventh and
fourteenth days.
DO not open the machine after the
eighteenth day until the chickens
are Matched.
IN. setting up and operating an IN
cubator follow the directions OF the
manufacturer. There are large
number Of reliable American
made ancubators, but the Depart
nient of Agriculture cannot recon-
mend any particular kind. 1t does
advise, however, that poultry raisers
select an incubator that has already
given satisfaction in the vicinity
where 1t is to be used. As the cost
Of tho machine Is small compared
with the eggs il matches, 1t Is good
investment to get a well-constructeed
incubator instead of cheap one,
which requires more attention and
wears out quicker. The equipment
Of most incubators is so subject to
change that particular. lamps, regu-
lators, etc, cannot be recommended.
The, lamp, however, should have a
bowl large enough to hold enough
oil to burn SO hours under average
weather conditions. should be easy
to remove and replace should set
absolutely tight in position and be at
a convenient height.
Machine Capacity.
An Incubator holding sixty eggs
calls for as much time and care as
one holding $50, and for ordinary
use, d machine or at least $50 eggs
capacity seems most satisfactory.
on those large farms that use inii-
vldual lamp incubatoTs, the machine
usually holds from 800 to 400 eggs,
and q small machine Is sometimes
used for a preliminary test the eggs
being transferred to the larger in
cubator after the first or second
test. Large machines cost less in
proportion to the number of eggs
they hold than smaller ones. How
ever, smaller machines are valuable
under special conditions, as for pre-
limInary testing,
Chickens are more even in size
when they are all Matched within
a short time OF each other than
when the incubating period is ex-
tended over many weeks Many
pouitrymen, therefore, believe that
1t pays to have an incubator large
enough to hatch most OF their stock
In two, or at most, three matches.
Much time in tending to the 3ncu-
bators and breeders is saved in this
way. A fair estimate for a poultry
farm is to have in the incubator as
many eggs as there are hens, pro-
yided that about one-half of the
Hook Is to be renewed yearly and
no outside Matching is carried on.
Room for Incubator.
A we'll ventilated room, which is
not subject to great variations in
temperature, should be selected for
the incubator. If built above ground
the wall should be double and the
entire building insulated. In sec
tIons that have a mild climate, ma
chimes may be operated in buildings
with single walls but a well-ir
sulated room is always preferable,
Where only a few small machines
are used they are generally run in
room or cellar OF the house. Good
results in Matching may be secured
in cellars as we'll as in rooms, and
these are more commonly used.
Many OF these cellars are provided
with some system of ventilation be-
sides windows, muslin screens on
the windows often providing good
ventilation without draft, Sand keep
ing the sun from shining on the
machines. Cement floors are easier
to keep clean than dirt floors.
Where the equipment Is extensive, a
special cellar or house should be
provided
How to Operate a Machine.
In setting up the machine get it
perfectly level. Do not plane off the
door. II it sticks, until the machine
has been heated up and thoroughly
dried. Run the machine at about
Zoe degrees F. for day before put
ting in the eggs. Afterwards do not
touch the regulator for several
hours as it takes this time for the
machine to come back to its regular
temperature.
The temperature should remain
nearly even. When the bulb of the
thermometer rests directly on the
eggs the temperature is usually held
ct 101 " to 102 degrees F. the first
week, 102 to 1903 degrees F. the sec