The Prescott daily news., 1917-02-05
SPRING POULTRY WORK

The poultry raiser on farm or in city who wishes to produce fall and winter eggs with a by-product of spring "friers' should begin now to plan for the early setting of eggs, say poultry specialists of the U. s. De- partment of Agriculture. In the States of the extreme South settings should be made from the first to the middle of February; in the central group of States, from the early part to the last of February; and in the northern tier of States, from the lat ter part of February to the early part of April With settings timed on this schedule the chicks will hatch in ample time to allow their maturity before cold weather. The bullets from these broods should lay during the late fall or early winter when eggs are scar cest.
 The setting schedule outlined also will permit the development of early spring "frers." 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.
 Incubation
 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, 15 inches square and about 15 inches high, with a top. The front is open except for board inches high Three or four inches of damp earth should be placed in such nest and on this straw, hay, or chaff should be firmly packed. The hens should be dusted thoroughly with insect powder. It is a good plan, also, to sprinkle a little of the powder in the nests
 Using an Incubator.
 The suggested schedule can be fol- lowed exactly if an incubator is used. The machine should be operated in a warm room, preferably cellar, as a protection against outside tempera- ture changes. It should be disinfected thoroughly before being used, with a solution of a reliable coal-tar disin- fectant. Instead of using a solution a 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 in- cubator The resulting gas will thor oughly disinfect the machine. After disinfection the incubator should be run empty for several days to get it into good operating condition. After the eggs are in place the temperature should be held at from 101 1-2 to 102 degrees F. the first week, 102 to 1O3 degrees the second week, and at 103 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 eigh- teenth or nineteenth day. The eggs are cooled outside the matching cham Der once daily after the seventh and up to the nineteenth day Moisture should be furnished in artificial incu- bation 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 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. It 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 it should be closely observed for a time to make sure that the flame does not get too high