CHAPTER XLVII 

 CARE OF POULTRY 



1. Hatching. — The first step in the production of young 

 poultry is to have fertile eggs. The best eggs for hatching 

 are obtained in the spring months, as this is the natural mat- 

 ing season for birds. Eggs from birds which have plenty of 

 range for exercising usually hatch better than those from 

 confined birds. Proper feeding is also important, but this 

 will be spoken of in another paragraph. In poultry-raising 

 as with all other live stock, the breeding animals should be 

 the best that can be had and they should be in perfect health. 



There are two methods of hatching, the natural and the 

 artificial. The natural method is the one commonly used on 

 the farm and consists in giving eggs to the hen and allowing 

 her to sit on them the necessary length of time. The period 

 of incubation is as follows: chickens, 21 days; ducks, 26 

 days; geese, 30 days; turkeys, 27 to 29 days; and guineas 

 26 to 28 days. Fresh eggs will hatch a little earlier than eggs 

 not fresh. The chicken hen is often used for hatching the 

 eggs of the other kinds of poultry, although it is usually best 

 to let the turkey hen hatch her own eggs. 



Artificial incubation is done in an incubator. This is a 

 specially constructed box having compartments into which 

 the eggs are put. These are kept warm by an oil lamp. The 

 temperature used is 103° F., this being the temperature of 



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