Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1917-02-23
SET EGGS NOW FOR
SPRING POULTRY
FALL AND WINTER SHOULD
BE MATCHED EARLY.

The poultry raiser on the farm or
in the city who wishes to produce
fall and winter eggs with a by-prod-
uct Of spring flyers should begin
now to plan for The early setting of
eggs, say poultry specialists of the
United States department Of agricul-
ture.
In the northern tier Of state set
tings should be made from the latter
part of February to the early part of
April. With settings SO timed the
chicks will hatch in ample time to
allow their maturity before cold
weather and the pullets from these
broods should lay during the late fall
or early winter when eggs are
scarcest.
The setting schedule outlined also
will permit the development of early
spring "fryers." The young chicks
will be developed to the point where
they may be turned out on the
ground by the time vegetation is out,
and so may augment their feed with
green stuff. The smaller breeds of
chickens can be Matched later than
those which are larger and slower to
develop.
How to Set Eggs.
One difficulty in setting eggs in
spring at selected dates if the natural
system of incubation is followed is in
| finding broody hens at the proper
/ times. If natural incubation is de-
pended upon exclusively it probably
will be best for the poultry raiser to
disregard dates and make settings
whenever broody hens are available.
A good nest for setting is made of
wood. Is inches square and about l 5
inches high, with top. The front is
open except for board inches high.
Three or four inches of damp earth
should be placed in such a nest and
on this straw, hay, or chaff should be
firmly packed. The hens should be
busted thoroughly with insect pow
der. It is a good plan. also, to
sprinkle little of the powder in the
nests.
The suggested schedule can be fol-
lowed exactly If an incubator is used.
The machine should be operated in a
warm room, preferably a cellar, as a
protection against outside tempera-
ture changes. It should be disinfect-
/ ed thoroughly before being used, with
a solution of a reliable coal-tar dis
infectant.
Using an Incubator.
Instead Of using such solution
small receptacle containing one-half
ounce of permanganate of potash on
! which one-half ounce of formalin has
been poured may be shut up in the
incubator. The resulting gas will
thoroughly disinfect the machine
After disinfection the incubator
should be run empty for several days
| to get it into good operating condi-
ton. After the eggs are in place the
temperature should be held at from
1919 degrees to 102 degrees F. the
first week, 1O2 degrees to 1913 degrees
the second week. and at 1913 degrees
the third week.
The eggs usually are turned for the
| first time at the end of the second
day and twice daily through the 18th
or 10th day. The eggs are cooled
outside the Matching chamber once
daily after the seventh and up to the
nineteenth day. Moisture should be
furnished in artificial incubation in
the South, in high attitudes, and
when the incubator room is dry. This
may be done by sprinkling the eggs
, with warm water or by placing a wet
sponge or pan of water under the
egg tray.
During the Matching period care
fully fill the lamp and trim the wick
each day. 1t is best to trim the wick
| by scraping off the burnt portion
rather than by cutting the wick. The
lamp should not be filled entirely.
! After the lamp is filled 1t should be
closely observed for a time to make
sure that the flame does not get too