Abbeville progress. (Abbeville, Vermilion Parish, La.) 1913-1944, 1920-03-13

prepared by the United States Depart
ment of Agricultural
The sitting hen. which iS used most
generally for incubation purposes on
the farm should receive certain
amount of care and attention during |
the process of Matching eggs. 10
great extent the care given sitting |
hen plays an important part in the |
number and condition Of the chicks
when Matched. With this end in view, |
the poultry specialists of the Ohiteu
States department of agriculture
make the following suggestions:
If several hens are sitting in the
same room. sec that they are Kept on
the nests, allowing them to come OIL
only once a day TO receive teed anu
water, the feed to consist OF corn
wheat. or both. If there are any that
do not desire to come off themselves
they should be taken off. Hens usu-
ally return to their nests before there
is any danger of the eggs chilling out
If they do not 60 back i'm half an hour
in ordinary weather. they should ne
put on the nest. Where large num-
her Of sitters are kept in one room IL
is advisable 10 let them of in groups
OF from four to six at time. Inc
eggs and nests should be examined
and cleaned. removing all broken eggs
and washing those that are solieo'
In the latter case the soiled nestlns
material should be removed and clean
straw added. Nests containing broK-
en- eggs that the hen is allowed to SIT
on soon become infested with mites
and lice. which cause the hens TO ne
come uneasy and leave the nest, OFTEN
causinC the loss of valuable sittings
of eggs. In mite-infested nests the
hen, if fastened in. will often be founo
standing over rather than sitting on
the eggs.
Many Eggs infertie.
Many eggs that are laid in the late
winter and early spring are infertlie
For this reason it is advisable TO SCI
several hens at the same time. Aftei
the eggs have been under the mems
, from five TO seven days, the time de
, bending somewhat on the color ane
thickness of the shells-white-she
eggs being easier to test than thos'
r having brown shells-they should b'
: tested. the infertile eggs and dea'
germs removed, and the fertile egg
nut back under the hen. In this wa.
= If is often possible to put all the egg
that several hens originally starte
: TO sit on under fewer hens ana reese
!. the others. For example. 80 eggs ar
set under three hens at the same time
fen under each. At the end OF seve
DAYS we find on testing the eggs fror
all the hens that ten are infertil'
70 which leaves us 20 to reset, which "
do by p1tting them under two hen
and have the remaining hen sit owe
again after she has sat only seve
DAYS I'm this way considerable tim
L con no saved in ones Matching ope
: atoms.
{, Testing Eggs for Fertility.
III An egg whether impregnated or ne
=, has a small grayish spot on the su
e' face of the yok known as the gerE
" inal spot As soon as fertile egg
n,ace6 under hen or in an incubat'
development begins. All eggs shou
he tested at least twice during the
Rod of incubation. preferably on Il
seventh and fourteenth days. and Il
Q infertile eggs and dead germs r
y moved. White eggs can he tested I
the fourth or fifth day. while the d
~ velovments in eggs. having brow
sbeils often cannot he seen by Il
rise of an ordinary egg tester until Il
seventh day. Dead germs soon dec;
~ and give off a bad odor If allowed
I'll remain under the hen. lnfertiie eg
u make good feed for young chicke
rs ond are often used in the home T
he culinary purposes. Most incubat
it comnonies furnish testing chime
Ig- with their machines. which will fit
tn binary lamps. Electric or gas lam
IN, NAV he used in box with he
ID slightly smaller than an egg cut
rs, tho side of the box and at the SAL
Ter leveI as the light. They may. al
es. no tested by sunlight. using shut
d. ar curtain with a small hole in
nd for the light to shine through.
lef Homemade Egg Tester.
A good homemade egg tester.
rs, GAMBLER. can he made with a lar
OH shoe box. or any box that is lar
'ur enough to go over a lamp. by reno
sr- ing the end and cutting hole lit
larger than the size Of q quarter
the bottom of the box. so that VIII
eh if is set over a Kerosene lamp
-de hole in the bottom will be oppos
ION the blaze. \ hole the size of silN
las dollar should be cut In the top of
lsh box to allow the heat TO escape.
lso The eggs are tested with the lar
II end ND. so that the size of the
Ter cell may be seen as well as the con
es- Value of Apple Tree