52 POULTRY FOR PROFIT 



a blood clot, or as a red ring, which is technically 

 known as a blood ring. 



There are three reasons for being particular to 

 test the eggs on the seventh or eighth day. 



1. Infertile eggs tested out at this time are per- 

 fectly good for food and ought not to be wasted. 



2. Dead germs may be detrimental to the hatch. 

 They certainly give out carbon dioxide, and if the 

 incubator thermometer should chance to rest upon 

 an egg containing such a germ instead of upon one 

 containing a live germ, it would not tell the exact 

 truth about the temperature in the egg chamber. 



3. When several hens are set at once, after the 

 clear eggs and dead germs have been tested out, the 

 good eggs may be put under part of the hens and 

 the other hens reset, thus saving considerable time. 



The eggs should be tested again for dead germs 

 on the fourteenth day. At this time the strong 

 eggs will be opaque and nearly black, and the dead 

 germs will show as blood rings or simply as an in- 

 distinct cloud. 



Feeding the Hen 



Sitting hens should be provided with hard grain, 

 preferably whole corn or wheat, and should be taken 

 off daily if they fail to come off regularly to eat. 

 Old hens usually come off without being watched, 

 but a young hen will sometimes stick to the nest 

 till she is nearly starved. Give no soft food, for 

 this may cause diarrhea. 



A hen that is fed regularly can easily sit two 

 terms, but one that eats only occasionally is worn 

 out at the end of three weeks. The hen should be 

 watched at first to make sure that she returns to 

 her nest in a reasonable time. It is just as well not 



