POULTRY KEEPING 551 



used it agree that no machine is complete without it. It gives an 

 abundance of room for the chicks as they drop from the tray above 

 and it permits the removal of the chicks from the nursery without 

 disturbing any unhatched eggs that may be left in the tray. The 

 bottom of the nursery is covered with a canvas carpet so that the 

 chicks will not be lamed or injured by slipping. The floor of the 

 removable nursery is usually attached to the front of the egg cham- 

 ber at right angles and in such a way that the w r hole nursery 

 can be drawn out as easily as one usually pulls out the drawer of 

 his desk. Such an arrangement makes cleaning and inspection 

 easy, besides giving one access to the chicks in cases of partial or 

 delayed hatches. It also makes it possible to use the nursery to its 

 greatest advantage. The first twenty-four hours are very impor- 

 tant ones in the life of a chick, and a properly constructed remov- 

 able nursery is the best place that has been found for its safety and 

 welfare. 



The tray should be strongly made of well-dressed material well 

 put together. It should not spring nor sag when loaded with eggs. 

 It should be made of soft wood, and the nails and screws used 

 should be long enough to hold the parts firmly together. A flimsy 

 or poorly made trav is to be avoided. It means loss of time and 

 loss of eggs by breaking. The writer once bought an incubator the 

 trays of which were put together with carpet tacks and screws too 

 short to hold the different parts in position. The attempt to use 

 was accompanied by the loss of nearly a trayful of eggs, and he 

 hopes that his readers will profit by his experience and examine all 

 trays carefully before setting up a new incubator. Many trays are 

 partitioned by wire into small spaces, each capable of holding five 

 or six eggs. As a rule such trays are unsatisfactory. A simple 

 division by three-cornered wooden strips into transverse rows or 

 ranks is highly satisfactory, and it is preferable to any other form 

 of tray. The edged strips of wood stiffen the tray without encum- 

 bering it, they take up no egg room, and do not interfere with the 

 process of turning. The tray must not be allowed to slide all the 

 way back against tho wall of the egg chamber. A space of at least 

 2 Ms inches should be allowed between the tray and the back wall 

 of the machine. A block should be fastened to the top of the trark 

 at its farther end to prevent the operator from forcing the tray back 

 and closing up this space. This is important, as the chicks are apt 

 to be pinched, crippled, or killed if the tray can be pushed too far 

 back. A similar space should be allowed between the front edge 

 of the egg tray and the door. The chick needs this space when it 

 drops from the tray to the nursery. 



Returning to our consideration of the body of the incubator, 

 much can bo said about the arrangement of the door, or hinged 

 window, in front. Select a machine with a double-glass door. The 

 two layers of glass must have 1 inch of space between them so that 

 they can be cleaned. Many manufacturers are careless about the 

 fit of the door. It should open and close easily, but snugly. If it 

 docs not open and close easily, one is liable to jar the eggs and dis- 



