POULTRY KEEPING 561 



earth nests, but the results are about the same. Methods may seem 

 to differ and yet results may be very much alike. 



The hatch can now be said to be begun. The incubator has been 

 set up, adjusted, and tested under heat for twenty-four hours. It 

 has been found capable of maintaining an even temperature, and 

 the eggs are already warm in the egg chamber. The thermometer 

 has been placed at a level with the top of an egg near the center of 

 the tray. At first the w r ork will require a few visits at intervals of not 

 more than one hour apart, but after the third of these, if everything 

 seems all right, the machine can be left alone for three or four hours, 

 but the operator should be sure to visit it just before he retires for 

 the night. 



Temperature of Incubator. On the morning of the second day 

 the temperature should have risen to 102 F. It must not be forgot- 

 ten that from now on the eggs will manifest a little heat of their 

 own and this must be considered, as it will influence the action of the 

 regulator. Or, in other words, if the egg is fertile the germ 

 will begin to waken into life and possess and give off heat. This 

 lessens the work of the lamp and should make the operator cautious 

 in his manipulations of the regulator. The temperature from now 

 on should be kept at 103 F. If the machine is balanced right, a 

 very slight turn of the regulator button or the wick elevator is all 

 that will be required. The operator must not become over-anxious 

 now; he should resist all temptation to tamper unnecessarily. It is 

 better to change the adjustment but a mere trifle and then wait a 

 little to observe the result than to make great and abrupt changes. 

 It is very easy to cook the eggs and quite as easy to chill them. All 

 changes should be gradual, and the machine always be under the 

 control of the operator. Once in good working order, the less an 

 incubator is disturbed the better. From now on it should be visited 

 at regular intervals, three times a day morning, noon, and night. 

 At the same hour every morning the wick should be trimmed, the 

 chimney cleaned, and the lamp refilled. The visit at noon is simply 

 one of inspection and observation. At this visit the operator should 

 look first at the thermometer and then at the lamp. If the tempera- 

 ture is right and the lamp is burning well, there is nothing more 

 to do. 



Returning to the work of the morning after, the lamp is cared 

 for and started again, the operator should watch it carefully for a 

 brief period. Then, if the thermometer shows the proper tempera- 

 ture, it is in order to turn the eggs. During turning the tray should 

 be removed from the egg chamber and the door closed. Some of the 

 details of turning have been given. The hand should be clean and 

 the eggs gently rolled around. It should not require much time to 

 turn the eggs, three or four minutes being sufficient. As a rule no 

 other cooling is necessary, but this subject will be referred to later 

 on. Many devices have been invented for turning the eggs, but the 

 simple method of turning by hand is sufficient. Gently brush or roll 

 them around or change them from one side of the tray to the other. 

 The necessity for turning depends upon the fact that unless the egg 



