Norwich bulletin., 1916-03-02
GETTING AHEAD OF THE HEN.
Early Matched Chickens to Produce
 Fall Supply of Eggs.

Incubators are a very necessary part of the modern poultry farm if it is to be a financial success. A large production of eggs in the fall can only be secured from early matched bullets and it is impossible to obtain many chickens in March if the sitting hen Is to do the matching. Hens do not become broody in very large num- bers until April and May and May matched bullets do not begin to lay heavily In any of the breeds until December.
 Any producer of eggs who visits the markets at the present time for the purpose of selling eggs is impressed ith the fact that retailers and hole salers are not very much interested in eggs at this season, but these same men six months from now will jump at the chance to buy any local eggs that are offered. Any poultryman who wishes to hold a market for his eggs year after year can only be sure of a permanent trade when he can supply fair percentage of eggs in the late fall. The incubators must be relied upon to hatch the eggs from which the bullets come that lay the high priced eggs in the fall.
 Although there is a great deal of evidence to the effect that the hen matched chickens are most vigorous, still there are enough large poultry farms that have been in existence for many years and that have always done their hatching by artificial meth ods to prove that artificial incuba- tion is practical and does not reduce the vitality of the stock to any ap- preCiable degree when the breeding | stock is carefully selected and given good care during the winter.
 Incubators are frequently blamed | be traced back to improper methods | of handling the hens that laid the eggs, either from lack of exercise | fresh air, or improper methods of | feeding. It is probably true that hens | will hatch poor eggs better than in- | cubators, and if there is any weak ness in the breeding stock it will be very pronounced in the chickens that | are matched from their eggs If they l are incubated by artificial means. Al | this season of the year when eggs are 1 being saved for matching the breeding | stock should be out of doors every day except in case of very, stormy weather If there is snow on the ground it will pay the poultryman tC shovel away a few square rods in or der that the hens may get out on tc the bare ground.
 The fact that incubators have, 1T the experiences of almost every poul- tryman, given as high as 75 and SC per cent matches Is conclusive proof that they are capable of doing goo6 | WOrk IT conditions are right ana Int eggs are good. Some poultrymen clain
 that it Is impossible to get as large
 matches in March as it Is in May be.
 cause eggs are poorer. This is only ar
 admission on the part of such poultry
 men that they are not able to giv'
 their breeders the right kind of care
 Although it is probable that the fer
 tility of eggs in March will not b'
 quite as great as in the warmer
 months. due to extreme cold weather
 there is no reason why all fertil'
 eggs that come from hens in gooC | physical condition should not hatch. Handlers of eggs that are to be uset
 for matching or that are being matched In incubators can easily inture tn
 hatch and the quality of the chiiken
 by allowing the eggs to become chill
 ed either before they are placed il
 storage or when they are being cool
 ct during incubating perion. Whel eggs are laih on very colr rays the. , should be gathered frequently so tha
 there will be no danger of chilling fl
 the nest and when they are turne' during the hatch in a room where tn . temperature is below 50 degrees the, will not require additional cooling ex
 cept from the 18th to the 18th day.