The theocrat. [volume] (Zion City [i.e. Zion], Ill.) 1914-1949, 1915-03-06

less trouble to run. It is built on diff J
ferent principle, in that it has the lamp
directly under the machine and egg
tray, so that there is no waste of heat.
1t saves about three parts Of the oil, and
has to be filled but once for the whole
hatch, while the other kinds have to be
filled every morning, as rule.
THE SIZE OF THE MACHINE
Now, if you have decided in favor of
the incubator, and have made the choice
of the make you want, then comes the
question as to how large machine you
want. That will depent on your cir
cumstances.
The large machine is more economical,
other things being equal. 1t takes about
the same time to care for the lamp and
eggs in small machine as it does in a
large one, and about as much fuel. The
size of your flock and the number of
eggs you get will determine the size of
your incubator.
If the incubator be too large for your
flock, then you have to wait too long to
get eggs enough to fill it; and so you
have to keep your eggs too long, and
they will not hatch as we'll as when
fresh The small incubator, it is claim
ed, will give little larger per cent. of
the hatch
WHERE TO SET THE INCUBATOR
The large poultry plants generally
have an incubator cellar, the advantage
being that the temperature is more uni
form. It does not vary with the weather
outside, as does a room above ground.
This is an advantage, for the thermo-
meter in the machine should be kept
steady. If the cellar is used, it must
be we'll ventilated, and not too deep in
the ground, or the air will be foul.
If the incubator be set in an upper
room, care must be taken that the tenn
perature should be about the same, day
and night. The incubator manufac-
turers all claim that their regulators
will control the degrees Of heat and keep
the thermometer in the same place, IN
spite of the changes in the temperature
of the room; but this is true only on
paper in their catalogs. In actual prac-
tice, the incubator will vary more or less
with the weather, and it needs to pe
watched.
Now you have good eggs and good
incubator, and good place for it. Inc
important question is
HOW TO RUN THE INCUBATOR
First heat your incubator to the pro-
! per degree, and get it regulated SO that
it will stay there, before you put in the
eggs The temperature will go down a
little when the eggs are put in, because
they are cold; but it will come up in a
short time if left alone.
Trim and clean your lamp every morn
/ ing, and keep it we'll filled.
After two days, the eggs should be
turned twice day, morning and even
ing After eight or ten days, they
should be tested, and all the infertile
ones taken out. These can be kept in a
cool place, and when the young chicks
are Matched, the eggs can be hard-boiled
and fed to the chicks. Grind them up
fine, shell and all, and mix with ground
oats or dry bread-crumbs. This makes
the very best of feed for the baby chicks,
especially during the first few days.
After the eighteenth day, the eggs
should be left, without turning, until
Matched.
1t is generally agreed that about 1O3 !
degrees is the right temperature for
Matching eggs. 1t should not vary more
than two degrees from this.
(To be continued.)