CARE OF YOUNG BREEDERS UNTIL MATURITY 289 



able time will show air cells of irregular shape, often on the side 

 of the egg. The result is that the chick will occupy the wrong 

 position in the shell, and in most instances a successful hatching 

 is impossible. 



The length of time which the eggs are kept previous to hatch- 

 ing bears an important relation to the hatch. Experiments show 

 that the longer eggs are kept, regardless of the manner of keeping, 

 the smaller will be the percentage of hatch. Eggs set in from two 

 to five days will yield the highest percentage of chicks. Under 

 average conditions it is not desirable to keep eggs for hatching 

 longer than one week, but if they are carefully turned and kept 

 at a temperature of 50° or below, satisfactory hatches may be 

 obtained after keeping them even three weeks. 



Some Causes of Infertility. — Since infertility proves one of the 

 greatest sources of loss, and probably depends in large measure 

 upon the breeding stock and the mode of handling eggs, it is well 

 to recognize a few of its common causes. They are here outlined 

 as follows : 



Immature or extremely aged breeding stock, the former being 

 the more common cause. 



Insufficient time between mating and the saving of eggs for 

 hatching. 



Weakened vitality of the breeding stock 



Excessively fat breeders. 



Insufficient exercise. 



Lack of green feed. 



Lack of sufR nent animal protein. 



Excess of females to one male. 



Unsuitable en^dronment. 



The following are some of the causes of " apparent infertility " 

 or death of the germs: (1) Low vitality of breeders; (2) keeping 

 eggs at too high a temperature; (3) keeping eggs too long before 

 incubation; (4) insufficient turning. 



Fertility is the one thing above all others which the breeder 

 is seeking, especially after having mated his fowls for breeding 

 purposes, usually at considerable expense. Want of attention to 

 any of the above factors may result in a loss of this important 

 requisite. 



Care of Young Breeders Until Maturity. — Birds hatched from 

 high producing stock, and to be matured for breeding purposes, 

 19 



