The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1917-02-23
SPRING POULTRY WORK
PulletsfOr Egg Laying Next Fall and
Winter Should be Hatched early,
How to Use an Incubator

The poultry raiser on farm or in
city who wishes to produce fall and
winter eggs with a by-product 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 set
tings should be made from the first
to the middle of February; in the
central group of states, from the
early part to the last Of February;
and in the northern tier of States,
from the latter part of February to
the early part of April. With set
tings 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 natural
system of incubation is followed is
in finding broody hens at the proper
times. If natural incubation is de-
pended upon exclusively it probably
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, Is inches square and about 5
inches high, with top. The front
is open except for 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 firmly packed. The hens
should be busted thoroly with insect
powder 1t is a good plan, also to
sprinkle little of the powder in the
nests.
Using an Incubator
The suggested schedule can be fol-
lowed exactly if an incubator is used.
The machine should be operated in
warm room, preferably a cellar,
as a protection against outside tenn
perature changes. 1t should be dis
infected thoroly before being used,
with solution of a reliable coal-tar
disinfectant. Instead of using such
a solution a small receptacle contain
ing one-half ounce of permanganate
Of potash on which one one-half
ounce of formalin has been poured
may be shut up in the incubator. The
resulting gas will thoroly disinfect
the machine After disinfection the
incubator should be run empty for
several days to get it into good oper-
ating condition After the eggs are
in place the temperature should be
held at from 101 Il degrees to 1922
degrees f. the first week 1902 to 103
degrees the second week, and at 1O3
degrees the third week.
The eggs usually are turned for
the first time at the end of the sec
ond day and twice daily thru the
eighteenth or nineteenth day. The
eggs are cooled outside the Matching
chamber once daily after the seventh
and up to the nineteenth day. Mois-
ture should be furnished in artificial
incubation in the south, in high alti-
tudes, and when the incubator room
is dry. This may be done by spring
ling the eggs with warm water or by
placing a wet sponge or pan Of water
under the egg tray
During the Matching period care
fully fill the lamp and trim the wick
each day. 1t is best to trim the wick
by scraping off the burnt portion
rather than by cutting the wick. The
lamp should not be filled entirely.