PROGRESSIVE POULTRY CULTURE 51 



is well to keep the eggs from contact with each other. 

 Turning of the eggs, if gently done, every second or 

 third day will do no harm. Allow no grease or foulness 

 to come in contact with the eggs. Begin incubating as 

 soon as possible and practicable after the eggs are laid. 



Examine the eggs and cull out every one that by 

 sight, touch, sound or any other means appears likely 

 to fail in hatching or liable to produce an undesirable 

 chick. Reject such as are extra large or very small for 

 the breed, also those of unusual shape, or having mot- 

 tled, coarse or porous shells, and such as have thin, 

 papery or very thick, hard, metallic-like shells. Some 

 eggs if tapped with the metallic end of a pen-holder give 

 out a sharp metallic sound and such are usually rejected 

 by the experienced hatcher. 



It is well to make a critical examination of the 

 eggs before beginning incubation by means of an egg- 

 tester such as is used in testing eggs during the pro- 

 cess of incubation. All of the imperfections of shell 

 show up vividly before the strong light of the tester. 

 Imperfect conditions inside the egg also become visible 

 by this means in some cases. Discard any eggs that are 

 old as indicated by large air-cell, also any that have the 

 inner membrane of the air-cell ruptured, indicating 

 rough handling or shaking of the eggs, likewise any 

 that show a veinwork of blood vessels or a circle of red 

 color indicating that the egg has been partially incu- 

 bated or that the embryo is dead. 



If the observer is doubtful as to some of the eggs 

 these may be marked with a pencil, their peculiarities 

 noted and then incubated with the other eggs that ap- 

 pear to be all right. During incubation the eggs that 

 were considered doubtful may be frequently examined 

 and in this way the hatcher will learn at first hand 

 many important points in regard to the incubating qual- 

 ity of eggs. Each successive hatching which he faith- 

 fully studies will add to his knowledge in a very prac- 

 tical way. 



