The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1917-01-14
EXPERT 1HLLS HOW TO BUILD
INCUBATOR Gel AR CDRRECTIY
Uniform Temperature, Mos
ture and Perfect Veatila-
ton Essential Features Of
Structure.
tsy RoseRT ARMs1eono)
tExpsrt 'Peultrysan and sNritpr.)

10y ROBERT AaMs1eoNo)
(Exrsrt 'peultryman and Writpr.)
On poultry farms of any size. es,,e-
cially those that make a specially Of
taoy.old chicks and custom Matching. 4
suitable place for the operation OF an
Incubator is highly important. Incu-
bators are run in great variety Of
places and under varying conditions,
but for best results at the least labor
and worriment to the operator a cellar
or basement provides the most gen
orally satisfactory environment. The
following article contains n design for
an improved type of cellar, with in
structions for building 1t.
some poultry ratsers claim that, an
incubator can be operated anywhere
IN the barn, attic, cellar, loft. shed,
springhouse. in the kitchen. parlor or
In a tent. Be that as it may. authors
ties agree that the best location is
where the atmosphere Is more or less
moist. where the temperature Is to a
great extent uniform, and cool, ant
where it is possible to obtain plenty of
ventilation At the same time. The air
in the room for an incubator must be
sweet and fresh, Or the eggs will not
receive the oxygen which they abso-
lutely require.
Ine above mentioned conditions IRE
seldom found in buildings above
ground. especially in frame structures
hence the custom Of running incubators
In cellars and Easements, and the pop,
ularly accepted idea that they must
be run in such places. Where only a
few machines are used they are usually
operated in the cellar of the poultry
mans dwelling. which is a good idea,
except that it Is advisable to parti-
ton off a tight room for the machines.
so that the heat from a furnace, If
there Is one, or drafts from windows
or doors will not affect the matches.
Where the incubator equipment is ex:
tensive, particularly where mammoth
machines are used, best results are Sc
cured when the apparatus is housed
in cellar specially built for the pur-
pose.
1t is often desirable to hatch in the
late spring and even in the summer
months, but If the incubator is run in
a house above ground, which Is quickly
heated by the suns rays, it is difficult,
almost impossible, for the operator to
Keep the temperature of the egg cham
bers low enough. Because the tenn
perature Of most structures above
ground varies widely every "a hours,
and because it is virtually out of the
to maintain moisture in such
places except by radically artificial
means. operating incubators under
these circumstances necessitates con-
slant regulation and watching.
Essentials Of a Good Cellar.
The ideal cellar or structure in which
to run machine is built about two
thirds below the ground level, which
affords fairly uniform, cool tempera-
ture. and one-third above the ground,
which permits Of adequate ventilation.
In selecting a site, the first thing to
consider is drainage. and on this ac-
count hillside or high, dry ground Is
preferable. 1t is well, Also to consider
the location of the cellar in relation
TO the brooder house. dwelling and
other convenitnces. Remember that
It will be visited often. from early in
the morning until late at night. and in
every kind of weather. which means
some very bad. weather. consequently
It should be built with the idea of ac-
feasibility.
The cellar may be erected in con-
junction with a bro0der house. laying
house. granary or other building. or 1t
may be built as shown in the accom-
panying sketch. as a separate unit,
with gable roof. For the convent
ence of this article we will consider it
Is an Independent building though 1t
: sasiay converted into any other
The cellar should be large enough
70 allow the attendant to work around
khe machine conveniently. If small
are being used at the time of
the cellar, it is best to provide
for the installation of mammoth ma
chine at some future time. that Is, to
make the cellar wide enough to accom-
nodate~ one Of the large. coal-burninK
types. Mammoth, machines require a
cellar width of about IL feet, and
ceiling height Of seven feet. Eight feet
Is better. Most machines are of the
two sided type-with compartments on
both sides. Passageways at least three
feet wide should be allowed for the
of egg trays. Two mammoth
machines may be set up side by. side
In a cellar 20 feet vide. with plenty of
room for convenient operation. A 1000
egg machine requires a cellar length of
Is feet. and each additional section Of
about 300 eggs requires four extra feet.
Construction in Detail.
In order to save on the labor of ex-