Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1916-04-08
COPYRIGHT 1915

few years that poultry huSDandry mas
taken on the extensive commercial as
pect which we now see on every hand.
Until recently, IL was carried on more
as a side line to some other branch
of agriculture. Natural methods of
Matching and brooding were used al
most entirely, and owing to the limited
number of chicks which could De
reared under these conditions each
farmer or poultryman was more OF a
unit unto himself. To-day the devel-
opment of improved methods OF
Matching, in large numbers, by artih-
cial means. and the general tendency
towards specialization has been re-
sponsible for the origin and success of
the Day-Old-Chick trade.
THERE are two special phases of
the baby chick business which
- should be studied and their var
ious opportunities appreciated. These
are custom Matching and the selling
of baby chicks as a side line to egg
farming, both of which have attained
rapid development in the commercial
egg producing sections of New Jersey,
New York and Connecticut, and also
on the Pacific Coast, especially in Cali
fornia.
Hunterdon county in New Jersey is
characteristic of the sections where
custom hatcheries are being operated
successfully. In this county, especially
in the vicinity of Frenchtown, Stock
ton, Lambertville and Milford, there
are located some of the largest Gus
tom Matching establishments in the
world.
Needs For Public Hatcherics
A small area of land and a few well
planned and properly constructed
buildings are all the equipment
needed The owner of the Matching
establishment usually keeps but linn
tied number of fowls himself. In
Petaluma, Cal, these Matching estab-
lishments maintain a large flock OF
specially selected breeders and pro-
duce a large part of their Matching
eggs. The custom hatchery is gener-
ally equipped with large capacity
mammoth incubator or incubators,
and in some instances large number
of small lamp-heated machines are
still used.
The business of these hatcheries is
of two distinct llinds-first, the opera
tor rents the compartments of his IN
cubators at a given rate per egg. The
usual price is three cents an egg for
the period of incubation. If the incu-
bator capacity is large enough this
rental of compartments offers very
satisfactory remuneration. The op-
orator receives the eggs from the Gus
toner and places them in the machine,
caring for them throughout the en-
tire period of incubation, and returns
the hatched chicks when they are a
day or two old.
The operator or owner of the hatch
cry is in no way responsible for the
vigor of the germ or the fertility of
the eggs. 1t is his duty to operate
the machine correctly, of course; he
must test the eggs at least once; he
must keep a record of the progress of
same and must notify the owner of
the eggs il the hatch is not progress
sing properly.
Boon to Poultrymen and Farmers
This method of getting ones eggs
hatched is very satisfactory, especially
if the hatchery is near by. Most hatch
cries also make a business of buying
eggs from poultry plants in the vicin-
ity and selling baby chicks hatched
from them. The prices vary, depend
ing upon the season. quantity and
breed. The success of this end of the
baby chick business depends largely
upon the ability of the hatchery to
secure eggs from well-bred, vigorous
stock at the time needed.
Probably the most satisfactory as
pect of the baby chick business Is
where it is carried on as side line to
egg farming. There are "A great many
commercial poultry farms in the East
and West which make the main source
OF their income in market or table
eggs, and in addition to this they breed
strong, vigorous birds and are in a
position to sell large numbers of
/ Matching eggs during the Spring. They
must have large incubator capacity
/ to hatch the quantity of chicks which
! they require for themselves, conse-
/ uuentlY they arc in a position to hatch
and sell large quantities of baby
/ chicks. Such chicks are usually OF
the very best quality because the repu-
back of the stock. They are produced
from stock of known breeding, and
from birds which are cared for with
the one idea of producing hatchable
eggs. Chicks from such farms fire.
! quently bring from Is to 20 cents
each. This product not only makes a
considerable increased revenue for the
commercial man who is equipped to
handle it. but to the customer wish
! ing to make start or to secure pull
let's to supplement those of his own
| Matching.
Vigorous Chicks Are Necessary
The first requisite to successful
baby chick trade is vigorous, healthy
| liVable stock. The husky, vigorous
chick depends upon two very definite
factors-first, the quality of the egg
which is used for Matching, and sec
ondly, the conditions surrounding the
egg during the Matching period. The
operator OF an incubator who gets un.
satisfactory and discouraging matches
often blames his machines unjustly
All poor matches are not caused by the
failure of the incubator to do it's worl
properly. but frequently by the poo
quality of the eggs used.
The prime Matching egg must bt
produced by a flock of healthy, vigor
Gus. selected breeding birds which are
properly housed and correctly fed
and which are so mated that a large
percentage of the eggs produced are
fertile Ninety per cent. or over of al
eggs placed in the incubator should bC
fertile during the Spring months
From the time the egg is laid until il
is placed in the incubator it should bC
handled carefully. 1t should be KEEP
at a temperature OF about so degrees
and should he turned occasionally. ol
held with the small end down to keeT
4 the air cell i'm is normal position
| Moreover, it should not be held toe
long, not over two weeks If possible
! Hatching eggs should be carefully Sc
lected and only those of normal size
Of average shape and with a perfec
shell should be set.
In the operation OF the hatcher!
there are two fundam entails which
must be followed. One is the careful
disinfection of all equipment such al
travs nursery drawers and the inter
ior Of the entire machine after eacl