Newark evening star and Newark advertiser. [volume] (Newark, N.J.) 1909-1916, 1914-05-09

The period of incubation varies
somewhat with conditions, so that a
hatch may run one or two days over
in some cases, due to an accident dur
ing incubation or to low tempera-
ture throughout that period, while, on
the other hand. it may come off ear
lier. If through any accident the
eggs are chilled or overheated, it is
advisable to continue the hatch. test
ing the eggs after a few days to de-
termine the extent Of the damage.
Chickens have been Matched from eggs
left out of the incubator all night, as
well as from eggs which have sub
jected to q temperatur Of over 10
degrees F. for q short time.
April is one the best months TO
hatch chickens. Chickens should not
be hatched later than the end OF May
IA this latitude, IL the pullets are de-
sired for fall-egg production. The
smaller breeds may be Matched later
than larger ones. as they mature
about a month earlier.
Selecting and Running Incubators.
Now as to incubators. There are
certain rules regarding selecting and
operating an incubator which may be
stated at the outset.
See that the incubator is running
steadily at the desired temperature
before filing with eggs. Do not ado
! fresh eggs to tray containing eggs
which are undergoing incubation.
Turn the eggs twice daily after the
| second and until the nineteenth day.
Cool the eggs once daily, according
to the weather, from the seventh to
the nineteenth day.
Turn the eggs before caring for the
lamps.
Attend to the machine carefully at
regular hours.
Keep the lamp and wick 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 a large
number of reliable American-mad
incubators. but, of course, in these
columns we cannot recommend any
particular kind. It is wise move.
however, for poultry raisers to select
an incubator that has already given
satisfaction in the vicinity where 1t
is to be used. AS the cost of the ma
chine is small compared with the
eggs it matches, it is a good invest
ment to get a well-constructed incu-
DdIoT instead OF cheap one, winch
requires more attention and wears
out quicker. The equipment of most
incubators Is so subject to change
that particular lamps, regulators.
etc. cannot be recommended. The
lamp, however. should have a bowl
large enough to hold enough oil TO
burn thirty-six hours under average
weather conditions, should be easy to
remove and replace, should set abso-
lutely tight in position and be at a
convenient height.
Ineubators Holding More Eggs Prefer
able.
An incubator holding sixty eggs
calls for as much time and care as
one holding $50, and for ordinary use,
a machine OF at least $50 egg capacity
seems most satisfactory. On those
large farms that use individual lamp
incubators, the machine usually holds
from 800 to 400 eggs, and a small
machine is sometimes used for a pre-
liminary test. the eggs being trans
ferred to the large incubator, after
the first or second test. Large ma
chimes cost less in proportion to the
number of eggs they hold than
smaller ones. However, smaller ma
chimes are valuable under special con-
ditlons, as for preliminary 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 extended over
many weeks. Many poultrymen,