El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1915-03-25
NEW MEXICO MANS
CHICKEN TROUBLES



Continued from previous pageJ
fright. both in the secular and trade
press.
Most writer's think they must exploit
their personal superiority or that of
their stock and new idea Of real
value is so rare that one tires Of look
ing for il.
Mr.. Kenan's article is full OF sound
practical sense, and, though I have
lived in New Mexico % years and
monkeyed more or less with chickens
and studied closely our conditions and
the rationale Of the Matching process.
yet he has one idea. in particular that
has always escaped me That is the
importance of proper care in storing
eggs to be placed. either under a hen
or in an Incubator at some later date.
/ have always turned my eggs daily
and looked carefully after moisture
while under incubation but 7 never
thought Of the danger from loss OF
moisture prior TO incubation and 7 have
never had any satisfactory matches
here.
II my loss from infertile eggs and
dead chicks doesn't exceed 50 per cent
7 think am doing fairly Well-at least
! am not disappointed.
L have Il egg-record hens and cocks
TO match. white and Barred Rocks. and
[ pedigree all that I can, so YOU see
I have to store up my eggs either TO
get a sitting or fiji an incubator.
generally put all my eggs in the incu-
bator, run that week and test for fer
tility, then take the fertile eggs and
put them under hens
Now You see. that in case the hen
matches say only % per cent and the
balance Of her eggs contain dead chicks,
the trouble must have occurred before
the hen got the eggs, either while they
were in the incubator or before. while
in storage, and. as I use a Petaluma
incubator $50 eggs capacity and it is
under perfect and absolute control,
both as to heat and moisture. my
trouble has been no doubt in not prop
erly caring for the eggs prior to incu-
baton.
I am just starting my second hatch
half the capacity Of the incubator. and
while making few minor changes, 1
expect no great Improvement. as the
eggs were stored and handled as before.
I am also saving eggs for a third hatch
and these viii be stored as follows. I
have sunk a box full depth in moist
earth on the north side OF a house;
the cover has four thicknesses Of mus
lin tackled on the under side 10 keep
out frost and also to be dampened il
more moisture proves necessary. I put
my eggs in cartons holding one dozen
for facility in turning them daily and
put the cartons in the above box for
storage. I expect in this way TO keep
my eggs under uniform and proper con-
ditions of moisture and temperature
ana TO De dUAE 10 udLEA LllE E--E lIAEE
our conditions three weeks old
I will put a self registering Their
mometer inside the box and another
outside and be able to determine varia-
lions inside and the difference between
inside and outside temperatures and
know the effect from an extra cold
night on the contents Of my box. II
I get very low temperature in my box
at any time. I Will know the exact date
and from dates on my eggs can tell
definitely whether the plan Of storage
or low temperature affected the re-
suits.
hope IN this way TO give your idea
on that point a decisive test and I feel
very confident that 1 Will get far bet
ter results than I have realized here
tofOre, and, situated as 1 am, that is
quite important
Last season ] Matched eggs in July.
stored in a refrigerator on the top
shelf-60 degrees T., and got very good
results under hens There I had a uni
form temperature and moist atmOs-
phere. Even here a hen steals her
nest, lays her eggs on the bare ground
in a shady. secluded place, takes three
weeks to lay Is eggs and IL they are
al fertile. matches every one
I hope you will pardon this some
what lengthy letter, but I think Nh
Kenan and The Herald entitled to all
the appreciation they can get for their
efforts in trying TO help other breeders
over our local difficulties Tt is
matter OF great interest TO me TO be
able to overcome obstacles and achieve
success where other men fail and
am always glad TO show my apprecia-
ton for all the help I get and also to
help others as far as / am able.
c. B. Auaire.