ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION 



forget to keep water in the tray, nor yet to change it 

 frequently, and that he will not forget to turn the eggs every 

 day. In the case of chipped eggs, the chip wants to be 

 placed uppermost, otherwise you may find a few dead in 

 the shell, through the little one's bill protruding through to 

 the mat, and so being unable to turn round. Fresh eggs 

 I find are best turned by taking several handfuls of eggs 

 from the centre of the drawer, and allowing the others to 

 gently roll to the centre. I then place the ones I have 

 removed round the outer edges. Incubators are all, or nearly 

 all, fitted with a so-called drying chamber. In practice I find 

 it is much better to let the whole hatch dry off in the drawer, 

 and as soon as ever the little ones are quite dry and able to 

 stand up I have them removed and placed under previously 

 prepared hens, who are sitting on a bird or two each in close 

 proximity to the hatching house. Anything in the way of 

 a chill is fatal to birds at this stage. In about forty-eight 

 hours they can be safely removed, in a hot water-box, to 

 the rearing-field. Even after hatching is quite finished it 

 is a very wise plan still to keep one incubator going, for 

 there is no remedy ever I have discovered for reviving birds 

 that have wandered and got a chill like the drawer of an 

 incubator." 



Mr Richard Hayes advocates his method as below : — 



" The following is the method I have followed for a 

 considerable time with great and unwavering success. I take 

 it for granted at the usual time in the spring you will have 

 a sufficiency of eggs. Set under hens acquired for the 

 purpose, taking care to set them in batches about once a 

 week, to insure a certain quantity hatching simultaneously. 

 In the meantime you will make ready your incubator, placing 



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