The gazette-times. [volume] (Heppner, Or.) 1912-1925, 1914-08-13
A Weekly Page of Poultry Hints to You

A new wick is good investment for
each hatch, thus eliminating any danger
of the wick giving out. Turn the eggs
before caring for the lamp, so that
there will be no chance to get oil on tho
eggs. The flame is apt to increase in
size after lighting, so that it is ad-
visable to return about one-half an
hour after tending to the lamp to SEQ
that the flame is right.
Care of Machine at Hatching Time.
After the eggs begin to hatch, leave
the machine alone until the hatch is
well over. Do not open the door to see
how the eggs are Matching, as it allows
the moisture to escape, which is very
Essential at this time. Keep the incu-
bator dark at Matching time by cover
ling the glass in the door with cloth
|or burlap sack, so that the chicks will
not be attracted to the front Of the
machine by the light and become rest
less. When the chicks are all hatched,
remove the egg tray and open the venti'
lators. according to the manufacturer s
directions, and keep them in the incu-
|bator from "a to SO hours after the
hatch is over before removing them to
the brooders. If they are to be shipped
a long distance away, so that they will
be on the road two or three days, it is
better to ship them as soon as the hatch
lis over and the chicks are thoroughly
dry. Chicks which pip, but are unable
ito get out Of the shell by their own
efforts, rarely amount to much if helped
out, although, if desired, when most of
the eggs are hatched and the chicks
dried off, so that they will not be in
iured by opening the incubator door,
any which have pipped may be helped
out by cracking the shell and placing
them back on the egg tray.
Turning and Cooling the Eggs.
Eggs should be turned and cooled ac-
cording to the directions furnished with
the incubator, The eggs are usually
turned for the first time at the end Of
the second day of incubation and twice
daily through the eighteenth or nine
teenth day, or until the chicks com
menco to pip. After turning the eggs,
reverse the egg trays end for end, and
from one side of the machine to the
other in two-tray incubators. Keep the
incubator door closed while turning the
eggs, unles the directions state that it
should be left open. Various mechani-
cal devices have been invented for turn
ling the eggs in the incubator, but most
poultrymen prefer to shuttle them with
their hands, removing few from the
center Of the tray and working the
others toward that point, placing those
which were taken out on the sides OF
the tray. Cracked eggs may be saved
by putting courtplaster over the crack,
| but this is advisable only in instances
where the eggs are very valuable). The
length Of time to cool eggs depends upon
the temperature of the incubator room.
A good general rule is to leave the
eggs out Of the incubator until they
feel slightly cool to the hand, face
or eyelid. Cool once daily after the
seventh and up to the nineteenth day.
Place the trays Of eggs on the top OF
the machine or on table in such a
position that they are not in draft,
and so that the tray does not project
over the edge of its support, thereby al
lowing part of the eggs to cool much
lquicker than the rest.