Vol. V. No. 112. 



THE AGEICULTURAL NEWS. 



245 



INCUBATOR TRIALS IN DOMINICA. 



On p. 154 of this volume of t^he Agricultural 

 JS^ews, a note was published giving the results of 

 incubator trials in St. Lucia. A simjlar incubator has 

 been tried at the Dominica Agricull^iral School with 

 results which appear to be highly satisfactory. 



In forwarding the following statement of the 

 results obtained, the Ofticer-in-charge of the school 

 (Mr. A. J. Brooks) mentions that many people in 

 Dominica have incubators. Mr. Brooks' notes on feed- 

 ing the chickens after incubation are likely to be useful 

 to persons using incubators : — 



In May last, a Cypher 120-egg capacity incubator (1906 

 pattern No. 1) and brooder complete was received from the 

 Imperial Commissioner of Agriculture. Three trials have 

 been made, the results of which may prove interesting and 

 instructive to poultry keepers. 



The eggs incubated consisted of the following breeds : — 

 Plymouth Hock, Leghorn (white), Orpington (buff), Indian 

 Game, and the conmion local cross-breeds. The local eggs 

 being much smaller than the pedigree eggs, the incubator 

 was capable of holding from 150 to 160 at each filling. 



NUMBER OF EGGS INCUBATED. 



Seventy per cent, of the fertile eggs hatched successfully. 

 Incubation lasted twenty-one daj's, after which the chicks 

 were accommodated in a brooder for the first week to 90° F. 



The .second week the heat was reduced to 60° F.; during 

 this time they wei-e confined to the brooder. 



The third week they were kept in this heated brooder 

 and given a limited covered earth run. 



The heat was then removed, and the chicks allowed to 

 occupy the cold brooder for two more weeks. 



After five weeks the cold brooder was removed, and the 

 chicks were placed in a large house without a grass run 

 (perches will be provided after the twelfth week). The floor 

 of the brooder was covered with sand and grit to a depth of 

 I inch ; upon this was placed a layer of finely cut straw and 

 <lry grass. 



All food supplied to the checks during the first few 

 weeks was scattered among this^ litter, so as to cause 

 the birds to scratch for their ; food. This is beyond 

 doubt one of the most essentia^ points to be observed 

 in successful rearing, as it causes the chick to take 

 a fair amount of exercise in obtaining its food, which 

 tends to keep it in a healthy condition. During the time the 

 chicks occupied the brooder, fresh green food was supplied 

 twice a day ; this consisted of spinach, alfalfa,, and cabbage 

 leaves, the whole of which was passed through a closely set 

 clover cutter and thoroughly mixed up previous to being fed. 



After the first three weeks it is better to supply the 

 green food whole by suspending it within easy reach of the 

 chicks. Ijry food should be given four or five times each day. 

 ' A little and often ' should be the rule ; if the chicks are fed 

 but twice a day, it causes them to stuff' their crops and 

 become lazy. Such birds seldom survive the twelfth week. 

 On the other hand, if a little food is supplied about every 

 three hours the chicks are kept in constant exercise. 



Incorrect feeding is usually the chief cause of mortality 

 among chicks, this generally resulting from diarrhoea, or from 

 the birds becoming crop-bound. 



The following dietary can be fully recommended : The 

 first two weeks, egg and bread should be given. The egg 

 should be boiled until it is quite hard, and the whole of it — • 

 yolk, white and shell — minced and thoroughly mixed with 

 .stale bread. This may be given the first thing in the morning 

 and the last thing at night. During the day coarse oatmeal 

 should be given (raw) every three hours. 



From the time the chicks are two days old a limited 

 amount of animal food should always be given. This may 

 be supplied in the form of wood-ants, maggots, worms, etc 

 In the event of these being unobtainable, minced raw meat, 

 scraps, and ground bone should be given. During the third, 

 fourth, and fifth weeks, brown rice may be substituted for the 

 egg and bread, this being fed alternately with the oatmeal. 

 After this time, any of the following foods may be given : 

 finely ground corn, ground oats, barlej', buckwheat, etc., or 

 cornmeal mixed with hot water and made into a crumbly 

 mass, so that when thrown to the birds it falls apart easily, 

 A good supply of grit must always be obtainable; broken 

 oyster shell is an excellent material. 



There are a few diseases to which chicks and chickens 

 are more liable than full-grown fowls, and the following are 

 the most common : — 



Cirimj). — This is usually caused by confinement and 

 dampness. The chick, in slight attacks, walks on the outside 

 of the foot : in severe attacks, it is unable to move, the 

 legs and feet being co)itracted. Remove the chicks attacked 

 and bathe legs and feet in warm water three or four times 

 a day ; after each bathing rub the limbs with embrocation. 

 Then place chicks in the warm nursery of the incubator or 

 in a basket lined with flannel and put in a warm, dry place. 

 Diarrhcta. — When chicks are noticed to be suffering 

 from this complaint, they should be removed and fed on rice, 

 well boiled and sprinkled with finely powdered chalk or bone 

 dust. 



Crop-bound. — In the case of young chicks and chickens 

 suft'ering from this complaint, there is practically no cure, 

 the birds being too small and weak to be successfully 

 operated on. In this case the prevention is easier than the 

 cure. Crop-bound is usually caused by overfeeding on hard 

 and indigestible food with insufficient grit ; therefore, feed 

 little and often and see that the food is well ground and mixed. 



