Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1917-03-10
SIMPLE RULES FOR THE
OPERATION OF INCUBATOR

mental work with sitting hens and in
cubators 1t has been shown that the
best results will be obtained when q
temperature of about 1929 degrees is
maintained throughout the entire
match, including the final period when
the chicks are emerging from the
shells. 1t is not necessary to keep the
eggs at a constant temperature OF
1924 degrees, but this should be the
object aimed at, and at least the aver
age temperature for each day or week
and the hatch.
OF course, the sitter cannot main
tain an invariable heat of 1929 de-
grees for every egg every hour of the
Matching period, but 1t is believed that
each egg averages this temperature
each day. 1t can be conservatiyely
stated that a sitting hen turns her
eggs at least ten times q day, rolling
the outside eggs to her breast and
changing the positions of each egg in
the nest This rolling takes place the
first day the hen sits on the eggs.
Fill the incubator in the morning
and turn the eggs that evening, and
continue turning them morning and
eveing until the first chick pips the
shell. Three turningS a day are prac-
ticed In Egypt and by some American
operators. The noon turning could not
be harmful and it might be beneficial,
have been conducted to decide this
question of additional turnings.
Test the eggs at the end of the first
and second weeks and remove the in
fertile eggs and dead germs.
The egg chamber of the incubator
is warmer at the center than near the
door, and to overcome this variation,
the center eggs are frequently lower or
farther from the heating compart-
ment. However, this uneven heat is
not injurious when the eggs are moved
around the egg chamber of the ma
chine similarly to their movement un-
der hen. If the incubator tray has
no divisions, place the center eggs al
the front and back of the tray and roll
the remaining eggs toward the center
IL the eggs are in rows on the tray
keep moving the outside eggs of each
row to the center. When there are two
trays, shift them from side to side OF
the egg chamber and turn them end
for end alternately, thereby equaliZ-
ing as much as possible the incubating
temperature of each egg.
Leave the eggs out to cool and air
at each turning until they are almost
cold. Fifteen to twenty minutes is not
too long to cool the eggs in warm
weather. Commence cooling and airing
the eggs in this manner at the first
turning and continue it at each turn
ing until the first egg is pipped. Keep
the door of the egg chamber closed
while the eggs are airing.
Moisture and Ventilation.
I In a dry room thoroughly sprinkle
the eggs on the tenth, fourteenth and
eighteenth days of incubation, with
warm water Cos degrees), removing
the trays and scattering the water
over eggs and tray with whisk
broom. Open the ventilators through
out the hatch. Do not place a tray OF
water under the eggs as it is an idea
medium for the development of mold
the spores of which fungus cause one
form of white diarrhoea in baby
chicks.
The egg chamber must be filled with
moist air when the chicks are pipping
the shell on the nineteenth and twen-
tieth days of incubation, otherwise the
shell membranes (skins inside the
shell) become dry and tough and
many chicks are imprisoned. Pure all
is also necessary at this critical time
The sitting hen exposes the pippe6
| eggs constantly to the cool outside all
! in her desire to assist with her beah
the chicks emerging from the shells
The limited ventilation of the egg
chamber is inadequate for number
of live chicks.
Instructions For the last DAYS.
When the chirp of the first chick is
heard about the nineteenth day, If the
glass of the door of the egg chamber
is not dripping with moisture, with
| draw the tray partly and sprinkle the
eggs with warm water as previously
described. Close the door until the
early chicks are Matched. Then with
draw the trays a second time, place
the dry chick compartment under the
tray, roll the eggs around and examine
them for mishaps, and sprinkle eggs
and newly-hatched chicks with warm
water. Wet the front of the trays and
the inside of the egg chamber also
The whole operation should not re.
quire more than two minutes.