The Beaver herald. [volume] (Beaver, O.T. [Okla.]) 1895-1923, 1917-03-29

February. March and April are the
best months to hatch chickens. de-
pending somewhat upon the Individual.
es well as the climatic conditions. Set
up the incubator according to the
manufacturers directions. and see
that the machine Is perfectly level.
If spirit level Is not available. n
long shallow pan Of water set On top
of the incubator can be used as level
to assist in setting up the machine BE
sure that all parts of the incubator are
In their proper positions and that the
regulator works freely. DO not plane
off the door of the incubator, If It
sticks, until the machine has been
heated up and thoroughly dried. Run
the machine at about 1O2 degrees
Fahrenheit for day before putting
In the eggs. II takes several hours for
tha machine to come back to It's cor
rect temperature after the eggs are
first rut in; therefore the regulator
should not be touched during that
time. See to the regulation of the
temperature OF the incubator before
opening the door of the machine to at
tend to the cggs. Look to the care
Of the incubat0c carefully and regular
ly, but do not change the regulator
any more than Is absolutely neces-
sary.
When the bulb of the thermometer
rests directly on the eggs the tenn
perature is usually held Mt 101k to
102 degrees Fahrenheit the first week,
1O2 to 103 degrees Fahrenheit the sec
ond week, and 103 degrees Fahren-
heit the third week; while n hanging
thermometer is operated nt about 1O2
to 1929 degrees Fahrenheit the first
two weeks and 103 degrees Fahren-
heit the last week. At Matching time
the machine viii frequently run up to
1Oi or 105 degrees Fahrenheit with
out any injury to the chickens. II the
temperature has been right up to the
Matching time, It Is usually better not
To change the regulator Mt that time,
provided the temperature does not run
above 105 degrees Fahrenheit. While
the eggs will hatch just a. well IL the
temperature Is run slightly higher than
noted above, throughout the hatch, the
chickens are apt to be weak and hard
to raise. In n good hatch the eggs Will
start To pip on the evening of the nine
teenth day, and most of the chickens
will he out of the shell on the morning
of the twenty-iirst day. II the hatch
IL much earlier or later than this 1t In
a tt,a
baton have not been right. A high
temperature may hatch eggs too quick
ly and produce weak chickens, while
continuous low temperature through
out the hatch will delay it for several
hours.
Use good oil. Clean and fill the
lamp once daily, trimming the wick
by scraping the charred portion of
with n knife or square-edged nall, or
by cutting the wick with scissors.
Care Of Machine at Aatching Time.
After the eggs begin to hatch, leave
the machine alone until the hatch Is
well over. Do not open the door To see
how the eggs are Matching, as it allows
the moisture to escape, which Is very
essential ut this time. Keep the incu-
bator dark at Matching time by cover
Ing the glass In the door with cloth
or burmp sack, so that the chicks will
not be attracted To the front of the
machine by the light and become rest
less. When the chicks are all hatched
remove the egg tray and open the ven
| 10 ha "a
er's directions, and keep them In the
incubator from "a to 30 hours after
| the hatch Is over before removing
them to the brooders. II they are t'
be shipped long distance away, So
that they will be on the road two ol
three days, II is better to ship them a'
soon rs the hatch Is over and thu
chicks are thoroughly dry. Chicks
which pip, hut are unable to get on
of the shell by their own efforts, rare
| ly amount to much IL helped out. al
though, II desired, when most Of thu
eggs are hatched and the chicks drie,
OF so that they will not he injured b!
opening the incubator door, any whicl
have pipped may be helped out b.
cracking the shell and placing then
back on the egg tray.
Turning and Cooling the Eggs.
Eggs should be turned and coole,
according to the directions furnishe,
with the incubator. The eggs are usu
ally turned for the first time at tn
end of the second dny of incubation
and twice daily through the eighteenth
and nineteenth day, or until tn
chicks commence to pip. After turn
ing the eggs. reverse the egg tray
end for end, and from one side Of tn
machine to the other In two-tray incu
batOrs. Keep the incubator doc
L u La.