The Hartford herald. [volume] (Hartford, Ky.) 1875-1926, 1917-02-28
SPRING POULTRY WORK.
PulIetts for Egg Laying Next
Fall and Winter Should
Be Hatched Early.

The poultry raiser on farm or in
city who wishes to produce fall and
winter eggs with a by-pruduct OF
spring "fryers'' should begin now to
plan for the early setting 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
the first to the middle of February;
in the central group of States, from
the early part to the last of Febru-
airy; and in the northern tier of
States, from the latter part of Feb
ruary 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 "fryers." 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 nat
ural system of incubation is follow
ed is in finding broody hens at the
proper times. If natural incubation
is depended upon exclusively it prob
ably 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, / inches square
and about Is inches high, with a
top. The front is open except for a
board 6 inches high. Three or four
inches of damp earth should be
placed in such a nest and on this |
straw. hay or chaff should be grmly
packed. The hens should be busted
thoroughly with insect powder. 1t |
is a good plan, also. to sprinkle a
little of the powder in the nests.
Using An Incubator.
The suggested schedule can be !
followed exactly if an incubator is |
used. The machine should be OPP
Grated in warm room, preferably |
cellar, as a protection against out !
side temperature changes. 1t should |
be disinfected thoroughly before be-
ing used, with solution of relia- !
bic coal-tar disinfectant. Instead |
of using such a solution a small re-
ceptacle containing one-half ounce |
Of permanS1nGte of potash on which |
one-half ounce Of foruGlin has been |
poured may be smut ~ in the incu-
bator. The resulting gas viii thor
oughly disinfect the machine. After
disinfection the incubator should be
run empty for several days TO get II |
into good operating condition. AZ
ter the eggs are in place the temp
erature should be held at from
1919 degrees TO 102 degrees +, the
first week. l02 degrees to 1913 de-
grees the second week, and at 1913
degrees the third week.
The eggs usually are turned for
the first time at the end of the sec
Ond day and twice daily through the
eighteenth or nineteenth day. The
eggs are cooled outside the Matching
chamber once daily after the sew
enth and up to the nineteenth day.
Moisture should be furnished In az
tifcial incubation in the South, in