17 



NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION. 



Whether it will pay t.o buy incubators and brooders depends 

 largely on one's circumstances. Where chicks are wanted in con- 

 siderable numbers earlier than April 15th, an incubator becomes 

 practically a necessity, as it is seldom that hens become broody in 

 numbers until after the 1st of April. Again, where one wishes to 

 hatch more than 150 chicks, an incubator is in many cases cheaper 

 and bette"- than the natural method. It is also a necessity where one 

 is breeding from the non-setting varieties. 



There are numerous illustrations of chicks being raised in large 

 numbers by the natural method in the States of Rhode Island and 

 Massachusetts, particularly in the former State. Where this method 

 is followed, the chicks are hatched largely during the months of May 

 and June ; and where from 500 to 1,500 laying hens are kept, there 

 is little difficulty in getting a sufficient number of broody hens. 

 Those who are keeping large numbers of hens appear to be well 

 satisfied with the natural method ; but there can be no doubt that 

 the number of incubators in use is increasing from year to year. 



Hen and Incubator. As to results, I am of the opinion that on 

 the average, the incubator will hatch as many chicks as the hen. 

 There is no doubt that some individual hens hatch a much higher 

 percentage than a machine ; but when we put 240 eggs into a 

 machine nnd the same number under 20 hens, our experience is that 

 we get about equal results in the number of chicks hatched. 



The average hatch is probably one chicken from every two eggs 

 set. This, of course, varies with the different seasons, also with the 

 percentage of fertile eggs, and the strength of the germ. We have 

 found duiing the months of February and March, when the ground is 

 covered with snow and the fowls are closely housed, that the percentage 

 of fertile eggs is small, and that the germs are very weak. Under 

 such conditions we have very poor hatches and chicks that are 

 very hard to rear. Much belter eggs are obtained in December and 

 early January, or when the fowls get out into the fresh air and are 

 able to pick some grass. Thus it will be seen that, as a jjeneral rule, 

 as the percentage of fertile eggs increases, the vitality of the germ 

 increases, the percentage hatched is larger and the mortality among 

 the young chicks smaller. For example, we would expect to get a 

 much larger percentage hatch of the fei tile eggs from eggs that were 

 90 per cent, fertile than from those that were 60 per cent fertile ; 

 and, moreover, we would figure on raising a much larger percentage 

 of chicks from the former eggs than from the latter, owing to the 

 chicks being stronger and having greater vitality. 



Setting the Hen. It is generally apreed that, in order to secure 

 a good hatch, the hen must be placed where other hens are not likely 

 to disturb her ; for, as a rule, we seldom get good hatches where 

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