Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1917-03-16

prepared by the United States Depart
ment Of Agriculture.)
February, March and April are the
best months to hatch chickens, de-
pending somewhat upon the individual,
as 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, a
long shallow pan of water set on top
of the incubator can be used as q 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 102 degrees
Fahrenheit for day before putting
. In the eggs. 1t takes several hours for
the machine to come back to it's cor
rect temperature after the eggs are
first put 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 eggs. Look to the care
Of the incubator carefully and regular
ty, 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 at 1912 to
l02 degrees Fahrenheit the first week,
1902 to 103 degrees Fahrenheit the Sec
ond week, and 1903 degrees Fahren-
heit the third week; while hanging
thermometer is operated at about 102
to 1929 degrees Fahrenheit the first
two weeks and 103 degrees Fahren-
heit the last week. At Matching time
the machine will frequently run up to
l04 or 105 degrees Fahrenheit with
out any injury to the chickens. If the
temperature has been right up to the
Matching time, 1t Is usually better not
to change the regulator at that time,
provided the temperature does not run
above 105 degrees Fahrenheit. While
the eggs will hatch just as well If the
temperature is run slightly higher than
noted above, throughout the hatch, the
chickens are apt to be weak and hard
to raise. In a good hatch the eggs will
start to pip on the evening of the nine
teenth day, and most of the chickens
will be out of the shell on the morning
Of the twenty-first day. If the hatch
Is much earlier or later than this it in
dlcates that the conditions during incu-
baton have not been right. A high
temperature may hatch eggs too quick
ly and produce weak chickens, while
a 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 off
with knife or square-edged nail, or
by cutting the wick with scissors.
Care of Machine at Matching Time.
After the eggs begin to hatch, leave
the machine alone until the hatch Is
we'll over. Do not open the door to see
how the eggs are Matching, as 1t allows
the moisture to escape, which is very
essential at this time. Keep the incu-
bator dark at Matching time by cover
ing the glass in the door with cloth
or burlap 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 Matched,
remove the egg tray and open the ven
tilators, according to the manufacture
er's directions, and keep them in the
incubator from "a to 80 hours after
the hatch Is over before removing
them to the brooders. If they are to
he shipped a long distance away, so
that they will be on the road two or
soon as the hatch Is over and the
chicks are thoroughly dry. Chicks
which pip, but are unable to get out
of the shell by their own efforts, rare
ly amount to much If helped out, al
though, If desired, when most of the
eRBS are HdICHeu anu Ille ClllChS uTleu
off so that they will not be injured by
opening the Incubator door, any which
have pipped may be helped out by
cracking the shell and placing them
back on the egg tray.
Turning and Cooling the Eggs.
Eggs should be turned and cooled
according to the directions furnished
with the incubator. The eggs are usu,
ally turned for the first time at the
end Of the second day Of incubation
and twice daily through the eighteenth
and nineteenth day, or until the
chicks commence to pip. After turn.
ing the eggs, reverse the egg trays
end for end, and from one side of the
machine to the other in two-tray incu-
bators. Keep the incubator door
closed while turning the eggs, unless