Imperial Valley press., 1917-02-08
Plan NOW TO RAISE
WINTERS POULTRY

llMIlIJ TWLm
Washington, Feb. 8.-The poultry
raiser on farm or in city who wishes
TO produce fall and winter eggs with
IA by-product of spring 'friers" should
begin now to plan for the early set
ting of eggs, say poultry specialists
of the United States Department Of
Agriculture.
In the states of the extreme south
settings should be made from the first
to the middle of February; in the cen
trail group of states, from the early
part to the last of February, and in
he northern tier Of states, from the
latter 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 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 "friers." 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 the spring at selected dates
Iif the natural system of incubation
lis followed is in finding broody hens
lat the proper times. If natural in.
eubation is depended upon exclusive.
ly it, probably will be best for the
roultry raiser to disregard dates and
make settings whenever broody hens
llsre available. A good nest for setting
lis made Of wood, Is inches square arc
about Is inches high, with top. The
front is open except for a board {
inches high. Three or four inches od
damp earth should be placed in such
a nest and on this straw, hay or chaf1
hould be firmly packed. The hens
should be busted thoroughly with in
sect powder. It is good plan, also
Ito sprinkle little Of the powder il
the nests.
Using an Incubator-The suggest
ed schedule can 'be followed exactl,
lif an incubator is used. The machin,
should be operated in, warm room
preferably a celler, as protectio,
against outside temperature changes
It should be disinfected thoroughly be
fore being used, with a solution O.
q reliable coal tar disinfectant. In
stead of using such a solution, small
eceptacle containing one-half ounce O
Of potash, on whicl
one-haf ounce of formalin has beel
roured, may be shut up in the incu
,ator. The resulting gas will thor
oughly disinfect the machine. Afte'
ldisinfection the incubator should b.
run empty for several days to get i
into good operating condition. Afte
the eggs are in place the temperature
should be held at from 101h to 10.
degrees Fahrenheit the first week
102 to 103 degrees the second weel
and at 103 degrees the third week.
The eggs usually are turned for tn
first time at the end Of the secon'
day and twice daily through the eigh
teenth or nineteenth day. The egg
are cooled outside the Matching cham
ber once daily after the seventh AM
up to the ninenteenth day. Moistur
should be furnished in artificial incu
baton in the South, in high altitude
and when the incubator room is dry
This may be done by sprinkling tn
eggs with warm water or by placini
a wet sponge or pan Of water unde
the egg tray.
During the Matching period careful
ly fill the lamp and trim the vic
each day. 1t is best to trim the wric
Iby scraping off the burnt portion rath
er than by cutting the wick. The lam
should not be filled entirely. Afte
the lamp is filled it should be closel
observed for time to make sure tha
the flame does not get too high.