Imperial Valley press., 1922-11-01
GREAT HATCHERY
PRODUCING MANY
THOUSAND CHICKS
Imperial Valley Hatchery
Is Important Industry;
Big Valley Trade

With approximately 10000 baby
chicks being hatched out every month,
the Imperial Valley Hatchery, located
Just west of the city limits is conduct
ING q business that is not only interest
ing, but is valuable adjunct to the
industries operated in FL Centric. Few
people are aware of the magnitude of
the equipment necessary to conduct an
establishment of this kind or the care
that must be exercised III selecting the
eggs from only the best stock, placing
them in the incubators and watching
them during the Matching period.
The incubators of the Imperial Val
ley Hatchery are located in build
ing 1l5 by % feet, with a cellar dug
to depth of 10 feet Each incubator
has a capacity of $40 eggs and with
SO incubators operating, this means
33,4S0 eggs when the incubators are
full, having a value of $4,000. Under
the careful supervision of A. b. and
Robert Smith, proprietors, over 20 per
cent of the eggs are hatchct@ out,
which is considered a remarkably good
percentage. The eggs are placed on
wire trays and loaded into the ineuba-
tors, which are heated to l03 degrees.
A record is kept of the date the hatch
ing is started and tests are made on
the seventh and fourteenth days 10
ascertain which eggs are infertile and
which will produce chicks. These lat
ter are then gathered together with
other eggs started ON the same day,
in order to have the incubators full
Of Matching eggs only. The infcrtile
eggs are set aside and sold as food for
| hogs.
No Lost Motion
The incubators furthest from the
| door are loaded first, and when the
| tests are made on the seventh and four
! teenth days, the eggs passing the test
are moved nearer to the door. In this
way, when the chicks hatch out, they
are already at the shipping platform,
| which eliminates any lost motion IN
| getting them ready for shipment.
AS the Matching period draws to Il
close, the chick breaks the egg shell
and is dropped down through space
! in the wire tray to temporary broodcr
where, they are allowed to stay for {
day. If they areg intended for immedi
ate shipment, they are taken out OF
the second day and packed in specia
cartons which enable them to be trans
ported in safety. If they are not to
be shipped, they are placed. in large
brooders, each equipped to take care
of 500 chicks.
Hens producing eggs for the Imperial
Valley Hatchery are all of Selected
stock based on the Hoganizing method
of determining whether hens will make
good layers or should be used for the
poultry market, and the greatest care
is taken to keep out, inferior stock.
Shipments from the hatchery are
made to all parts of the valley, Goa
chella, Mexico and Arizona. The
hatchery maintains agents in these sec
tions, not only for disposing of the
chicks, but for obtaining the necessary
eggs to operate the hatchery. In this
respect, Mr.. Smith said today that the
/ supply of eggs at present is below nor
NAL and the hatchery can use more eggs
than they are able to get.
Gives Away Thousands
The cartons in which the baby chicks
are shipped, are built to contain 100
but the count is usually l02 in order To
make up for loss in transit and to
assure the proper count BY adding
| two chicks to each boz, it is estimated
the hatchery gave away over $4,000
chicks last year, but it. is the opinion