POULTRY RAISING ON THE FARM 289 



to her as she returns from feeding. The nest should con- 

 form in shape to tfce natural nest made by a hen when she 

 steals away to hatch her brood. It is an advantage to have 

 the bottom of the nest made of soil in order to preserve its 

 shape and to supply a certain amount of moisture to the air 

 surrounding the eggs. 



As a final preparation for incubation the nest and hen should 

 be dusted with lice powder. 



During the sitting period feed, water, and a dust bath should 

 be accessible to the hen. At the end of seven days the eggs 

 should be candled, those containing dead germs and the infer- 

 tile eggs should be removed. After the chicks are from 

 twenty-four to thirty-six hours old they may be removed 

 to a coop. 



Artificial incubation. The efficiency of an incubator de- 

 pends largely upon maintaining a uniform temperature at 

 the desired degree (103). Four requisites have been suggested 

 by Lewis, of the Poultry Department of the New Jersey Agri- 

 cultural Experiment Station : "A sensitive, well-built thermo- 

 stat; a simple but certain method of transmitting the action 

 of the thermostat to the lamp; arrangements for easy adjust- 

 ments or regulation; mechanism that will not get out of order 

 with use." 



Directions for setting up, caring for and operating the incu- 

 bator are furnished by the makers of the best types and should 

 be carefully followed. 



Aside from following these directions attention should be 

 given to turning the eggs, ventilation, moisture, testing, 

 and care of the newly-hatched chicks. 



In natural incubation the hen , frequently turns her eggs. 

 The object is to change the position of the germ which rests 

 upon the top of the yolk, and to increase the supply of oxygen 



