538 Bulletin 282. 



of the chicks were stained with dyes, each flock having its own particu- 

 lar color. These precautions were considered necessary in order that 

 the chicks might be easily recognized if they should escape from the 

 flock in which they belonged. 



To guard against inequalities, the good chicks from each incubator 

 were divided equally among the seven flocks. The flocks varied slightly 

 in weight at the beginning of the experiment, but the differences were 

 insignificant. One flock was photographed at this time as representative 

 of all. (See cover cut.) 



The cost of incubation, for eggs, fuel, and labor, was $38.69, but 

 this was somewhat reduced by the sale of infertile eggs. The actual 

 expense incurred was $37.21 for 972 good chicks which were hatched 

 from 1,505 eggs. The cost of the 770 chicks put into the experiment 

 was $29.47; per flock of no chicks, $4.21; and per chick, $0.03828. 



Table 1. — Financial Statement of Incubation 



125 S-12 dozen eggs @ 25 cents 



3 1 f gallons oil @ 1 2 cents 



18 hours, 35 minutes labor @ 1 5 cents per hour 



Interest on investment (incubators) at 6% for three weeks . 



Total expense 



12J dozen infertile eggs sold @ 12 cents 



Total cost 972 chicks • 



Cost per chick 



Total cost 770 chicks in experiment 



Total cost per fiock of 1 10 chicks 



$31-36 

 3.8i 

 2.79 



o- 73 



$38-69 

 1.48 



S37-21 



$0 .0382 

 29-47 

 4.21 



II. BROODING* 



The chicks were brooded in a pipe-system brooder-house having the 

 heater in the same room with the chicks. The house contained seven 

 pens, each pen being 6.5 feet by 8.3 feet, giving a floor space of 54 sq. ft. 

 to each flock. In each pen was a low-set, nine-light glass window 

 of about 5 sq. ft. surface. The house was double boarded, thus making 

 a little passage, about three inches in length, through which the chicks 

 went from the pens to the yards. 



The pens were separated from each other and from the alleyway 

 by partitions of wire netting. Movable hovers were placed over the 

 pipes at a distance of six to seven and one-half inches from the floor, 

 the floor under the hover being on a level with that of the rest of the 

 pen. Fig. 166. 



* The work in brooding was in charge of A. T. Moir, Assistant in Poultry- 

 Husbandry. 



