Incubation. — Part II 



1403 



Fig. 41. — Stages in the escape of the chick from the shell (Drawing by Finch) 



DISINFECTING 



Absolute cleanliness is essential in incubators. The germs of the 

 various communicable diseases most comm.on among young chicks are 

 sometimes carried on the eggshell. In order to guard against future 

 infection, the incubator should be thoroughly cleaned and disinfected 

 after each hatch. If eggs are used from flocks not absolutely free from 

 disease, they should first be dipped in 95 per cent grain alcohol. The 

 eggs should be dipped quickly and dried immediately. 



To prepare for disinfection, all the portable parts of the incubator 

 should be removed, as shown in Fig. 42, and should be washed with warm 

 water containing a little soap powder. A putty knife or a stiff brush is 

 excellent to use in removing the pieces of shell and down that stick to 

 the egg and nursery trays. As often as the burlap in the bottom of the 

 nursery becomes soiled, it should be replaced with clean burlap sacking. 



After the parts have been thoroughly cleaned, they should be disinfected 

 and placed in the sun to dry. A disinfectant should also be applied to 

 the inside of the incubator. A spray pump or a hard brush is a convenient 

 instrument for distributing this. The disinfectants used in the incu- 

 bator cellar at Cornell University are creoline, zenoleum, and crude car- 



