Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-16
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.F&t5 vant;lstion and Moistura.


The ventilation Of the machine Is
next In Importance to the temperature
II the carbon dioxide, or carbonic acid
gas. as 1t is sometimes called is al
lowed to accumulate, or in other words,
II the vitiated air Is not replaced by
pure air with sufficient rapidity. the
germs win be weakened and those
which are somewhat naturally weak
will be killed.
Bowel trouble and non absorption of
the contents Of the yolk sack, two very
common ailments of incubator chicks
are frequently by lack of fresh aid in
the ncubating chamber during the
hatch For good results the eggs must
be given plenty of fresh air. When this
is overdone another trouble is en-
countered. The eggs lose too much
moisture and the chicks dry fast to the
shell, thus destroying many chicks and
producing many cripples. On the other
hand, If the eggs do not lose enough
moisture the chicks are weak and tiabbS
and do not nave sufficient room so that
they are able to break their shells and
thus make their escape.
Turning the Eggs.
The eggs should be turned twice per
day until the nineteenth day Of the
hatch 1t is not necessary to turn each
egg just half way over each time. This
is unnatural and / think, to certain
extent injurious In turning eggs by
hand the eggs at the center of the
trays are picked up and other eggs
rolled into their place. The eggs taken
from the center are then placed at the
end This method possesses the adj
vantage of systematically changing the
relative position of the eggs upon the
trays. thus equalizing the effect OF any
possible inequalities OF temperature
which may exist in the incubator
ing the effect of any variation in tenn
perature Is further carried out by
changing the trays from side to side at
one turning, and at the next turning
change them from end to end. and so
on When these things are done the
chickens nearly ell hatch at about the
same time. A hatch which is long
drawn out usually indicates that there
are inequalities in the temperature of
the incubating chamber which have
not been overcome by changing the
eggs about as indicated above
Airing, Cooling, and Testing.
When the trays are taken from the
incubator for the purpose Of turning
the eggs, they are to certain extent
both aired and cooled, and If the ma
chine is properly ventilated this amount
Of airing and cooling is sufficient for
all requirements.
The infertile eggs and those with
dead germs are usually tested out twice
during the hatch. This is done so as
to keep the air in the Incubator as
pure as possible, and when these eggs
are used for feeding young chickens
the more promptly they are removed
after their condition can be determined
by the egg tester. the better.
Taking Of the Hatch.
After the eggs begin to pip they
should be interfered with as little as
possible. Close watch should be kept
Of the thermometer at this time,
and il the temperature tends to drop,
due to the drying OFF a larger number
Of chicks, the lamp should be turned
UP higher for time If cold draft
Of air strikes the chicks, or II the
chicks become over-heated in the in
cubator or are allowed to pant on ac-
count OF the lack of fresh air they are
weakened and many of them will die
from bowel .trouble.ibl