Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-02-16

changes of the adjustment during the
progress of the hatch. 1t is a mis-
take to raise or lower the temperature
within the egg chamber by a change
in the adjustment. This is properly
done by raising or lowering the first.
When the eggs are first placed in the
machine the thermometer will drop
several hours while the eggs are
warming.
Care While Operating.
with the lamp-heated incubators
the wick should be trimmed and the
lamp cleaned and filed every day.
a new wick should be used for every
completely full. The expansion Of
the oil will cause it to. overflow and an
ill-smelling lamp will result. No par
ticular harm is done if the ther-
mometer varies a degree or two oc-
c%asionally during the hatch. AS long
as the average temperature is MAIN
tanned, results should be quite as
good as though the thermometer
showed no variation whatever. The
door of the incubator should not be
opened till three or fou days after
the eggs have been placed in the ma
chine. But from this time on they
should be turned at least twice every
day. The length Of time for cooling
will depend upon the temperature Of
the room, the period of the hatch and
the condition of the eggs. Close at
tention to instructions will assist ma
terially in soon mastering the details
in this connection.
AT least two tests should be made
period. Spoiled eggs give off a, bad
odor n so affect the health of the
living germs. The temperature of a
fertile egg is higher than that of an.
infertile one after the first week and
if the thermometer is on or near a
lifeless it will not register cor
rectly. Enough moisture may be
maintained in the air by %sprinkling
the floor of the Matching room with
water. setting pals or pans of water
near the incubator or placing a shall
low par of water in h bottom Of the
machine. At the end of the first 8
or 10 days the eggs should normally
dry down SO that the air cell in the
large end of the egg is a little larger
than a % cent piece.
The End of tho Hatch.
after the first 10 or IL days the
ventilation may be gradually but
quite rapidly increased till the last Of
the hatch. The temperature will raise
during the last of the incubation
period as the developing, chicks begiH
to generate more of their own heat.
This rise in temperature of the ma
chine is perfectly normal. However,
if the chickens begin to pant after
Matching, the temperature should be
lowered somewhat.
ID not open the door of the incu-
bator while the chickens are hatch
ing. 1t is doubtful if a chick that has
not enough vitality to make it's own
way out of the she'll is worth saving.
1t is unwise to risk injury to the rest
of the hatch in order to help out such
an individual. Do not remove the
chicks from the machine till the last
Matched chick is dry. by no mean
let the temperature of the incubator
run down so that the chicks will be
chilled.
If an accident has occurred which
has resulted in the o~verheating or the
chilling of the eggs during the incu-
baton period, do not be in too much
haste to discard the hatch. Make
certain first that it is going to be a
failure"
a succeeding article will discuss the
feed and care of the chicks and fat
tening them for market.