999 QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS, 91 



QUESTION Does it pay to buy second-hand incubators ? 

 ANSWER No. By all means get a new one. 



QUESTION When cooling eggs in the incubator what should 

 the limit of the temperature be? 



ANSWER Do not let them go lower than 80 degrees. 



QUESTION Why is it so necessary to keep the door of the in- 

 cubator closed while the chicks are hatching? 



ANSWER The drafts of air coming in upon the chicks at that 

 time will seriously affect them. 



QUESTION About how much weight will a properly incubated 

 egg lose during incubation? 



ANSWER About one-eighth of its original weight. 



QUESTION When cooling incubator eggs, is it best to leave 

 them in the machine and open the door, or should they be taken out 

 and the door kept closed ? 



ANSWER Take them out of the machine and keep it closed. 



QUESTION How often should the wick of the incubator lamp 

 be trimmed? 



ANSWER Once a day. 



QUESTION Is there any method by which the liability of the 

 incubator lamp to smoke may be reduced? 



ANSWER It is claimed that wicks soaked in vinegar and dried 

 before putting in the lamp will prevent smoking to some extent. 



QUESTION How many eggs can a medium-sized hen properly 

 cover ? 



ANSWER Thirteen in early spring and fifteen in summer. 



QUESTION In keeping eggs for hatching, does it make any 

 difference whether they are kept in the dark or not? 



ANSWER A test made at the Maine State Agricultural Ex- 

 perimental Station showed that the chances were slightly in favor 

 of eggs kept in a dark place. 



QUESTION Will smoking in the incubator room (pipe or 

 cigar) injure the germ in the egg? 

 ANSWER Yes, if persisted in. 



QUESTION Can an incubator with single walls be relied upon? 

 ANSWER No, 



