HATCHING WITH INCUBATOR AND HEN 



181 



essary to test the eggs? Is it best to 

 put young chickens in a brooder or to 

 give them to a hen? Why could one 

 not put eggs in the incubator as they 

 are layed, say two or three a day and 

 take the chickens out as they hatch? 

 -F. L. 



Answer Incubators are a success 

 if you get a good standard make. 

 Find out what your neighbors are 

 using successfully. It is necessary 

 to test the eggs to take out the in- 

 fertile ones and use them for- eating 

 or cooking so as not to waste them, 

 also the infertile egg, not having life 

 in it, is cold and chills the neighbor 

 egg which has life in it. 



If you use an incubator, it is neces- 

 sary to have a brooder, as you will 

 hatch too many chickens to go under 

 a hen. 



It is not best to put eggs into the 

 incubator as they are layed, because 

 for the last two days of incubation the 

 incubator should remain closed, also 

 for the first two days and between 

 those periods the eggs have to be 

 moved, turned, and taken out of the 

 incubator and cooled, consequently it 

 is best to save the eggs until you 

 have enough either to put under the 

 hen or fill the incubator. 



Incubator (Mrs. O. B. J., Los An- 

 geles) Will you please tell me if you 

 have ever used the Cycle Incubator, 

 how you like it and is there any place 

 where I could buy one in Los An- 



feles? I have inquired, but can not 

 nd out, and as you answer questions, 

 I hope you will reply to me as soon as 

 possible. 



Answer Personally I have not 

 used the incubator, but I have known 

 of it very favorably for some years. 

 And I have heard that one of the 

 most prominent business men in Los 

 Angeles has just bought a large num- 

 ber to supply his broiler plant. 



It is a charming little thing, about 

 the size of a dishpan, easily carried 

 around and could be operated very 

 easily in any living room. It is ex- 

 tremely simple and easily operated. 

 Holds fifty eggs, is heated with a 

 lamp which only needs filling once for 

 a whole hatch. 



I think there is an agency for it in 

 the Chamber of Commerce Building. 

 There were some of these incubators 

 at the poultry show. The incubator 

 has also a brooder attachment and 



can be used as a very efficient brooder 

 at the bottom while another setting 

 of fifty eggs is being incubated above. 

 From what I hav'e heard from others, 

 [ think it well adapted for a small 

 place or for any one who does not 

 want to keep eggs for hatching until 

 a large number can be collected. It is 

 called "Cycle" from its being round. 



Natural Incubation I am a reader 

 of your articles and get much good 

 from them. Am a beginner and have 

 a great deal to learn. Will you kindly 

 answer the following questions: 



1. Should a setting hen be shut 

 on the nest and be let off each day? 

 If so, how long should she be allowed 

 to stay off the nest? 



2. Do the eggs get enough mois- 

 ture in natural incubation? 



3. Is it good to sprinkle the eggs 

 with water? If so, how often and 

 in what stages of incubation should 

 this be done? 



4. How long should chick feed be 

 fed to chicks, and what is best after 

 discontinuing this food? R. M. 



Answer It is best not to shut a hen 

 on the nest, but to allow her to get 

 on and off as she pleases unless there 

 are other hens that can get to the 

 nest to disturb her. It is a good 

 plan to take the hen off the nest at 

 a regular hour every day. I prefer 

 about five o'clock in the evening, as 

 then she will go back before supper 

 time. A hen can be off the nest in 

 pleasant weather from twenty min- 

 utes to half an hour. She should be 

 allowed to stay off long enough to 

 eat all she wants and to dust herself. 

 It is necessary for her to come off 

 at least once every twenty-four hours. 



2. Eggs usually get moisture 

 enough from the perspiration of the 

 hen. I like to float the eggs in warm 

 water two days before the hatch 

 comes off. I think it helps the eggs 

 to hatch well and it also shows, by 

 the eggs bobbing about on the water 

 which eggs have live chicks in them. 



4. Chick feed should be fed about 

 six weeks, but it is best to begin 

 when the chicks are three or four 

 weeks old to add wheat and Kaffir 

 corn to the chick food and make the 

 change gradual. Commence by one- 

 fourth of the larger grains and three- 

 fourths of chick feed. Then gradu- 

 ally increase the Kaffir corn and 

 wheat until that is the principal feed. 



