386 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. [Pub. Doc. 



as they keep each other warm. The door is not oi^ened until the morn- 

 ing of the twenty-third day, when they are taken to the brooder, and 

 the machine cleaned up thoroughly and set again. 



Before putting the eggs in the incubator, they are all sorted out 

 according to the number on each egg showing the breeding pen that 

 they came from, and a record is kept of how many eggs are set from 

 each pen, so that when they are tested, those that are thrown out can 

 be sorted and set down in another column. The first column has the 

 number of the pens; the second, the number of eggs from each pen; 

 the third, 'the number of unfertile eggs; the fourth, the number of 

 germs that started, but are dead or "addled" eggs on the first test; 

 the fifth, those that are dead on the second test; the sixth, the eggs 

 that do not hatch; then, by adding all of the eggs that are thrown out 

 from each pen and subtracting them from the number of eggs set in 

 column 2, we have the seventh column, which shows just what each 

 pen of breeders is doing. 



If a certain pen's eggs are not fertile, change the male bird at once, 

 giving the first one a rest, when he may be used later on to take the 

 place of another who is becoming exhausted. In changing the male 

 bird, which is one-half of the flock, as far as fertility is concerned, we 

 have done about all we can for this feature, unless it is to change 

 again; for, although it is sometimes argued that the hen may be to 

 blame, or her condition, it is safe to assume that a hen that is in good 

 enough condition to lay is pretty likely to be in good enough condition 

 to give you fertile eggs; but if the fourth, fifth and sixth columns show 

 that too many of the fertile eggs fail to hatch from any particular pens 

 investigate at once, and see if the flock is healthy, are properly fed and 

 cared for in every way; but if this trouble happens with all of the pens, 

 buy some eggs from some one who is getting good hatches, and then 

 one can easily determine whether it is the fault of the eggs or in the 

 process of incubation. If it is found to be in the incubating, "go for 

 it," and find out, by a systematic plan of experiments, just which of 

 your conditions or what you are doing is wrong. Stick to it, — that 

 very " stick-to-it-iveness " is what has been ascribed as the secret of 

 the writer's success. 



Make the first test on the fifth or sixth day, and the unfertile eggs 

 will be in good condition for all cooking purposes, and are worth from 

 one-half to two-thirds the price of market eggs; there is also more 

 room and the eggs can be turned more easily. The second test can be 

 made about the fourteenth day, and if all the dead ones are thrown out, 

 there will be very few if any that will be rotten and smell bad; and by 

 carefully studying the records of both tests, one can keep in touch with 

 just how the process is progressing. 



To make a good tester, have a window that faces the sun fitted with 

 a board having a hole in it, the same as any tester, with a piece of felt 

 or leather around this hole, and then darken the rest of the room so that 

 all of the light must come through the egg when placed against this? 



