l6 MAINE AGRICUIvTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION. 



Here then is the clue to the primary factor in the control of 

 death of chicks in the shell during incubation. The first step 

 tC' take towards preventing mortality in the shell is to see that 

 the breeding birds from which the eggs come are in a strong, 

 healthy, vigorous condition, and that they are fed a proper la- 

 tion for breeding birds. In the experience of the Maine Agri- 

 cukural Experiment Station tlie most important factor in feed- 

 ing breeding birds is to see first of all that they get a minimum 

 amount of animal food of any kind in their ration. By anim I 

 food is meant any food substance of animal origin, such as beef 

 scrap, blood meal, fish scrap, milk, green cut bone, etc. Further- 

 more it is necessary that the breeding birds have an abundance 

 of fresh succulent green food. During the season of the year 

 when hatching is done the climatic conditions in Maine are 

 such that green food from out of doors cannot be obtained. 

 Under these conditions the most satisfactory source of green 

 food which has been found at the Station is green sprouted 

 oats. These should be fed to the breeding birds in liberal 

 quantities. To give good results the oats should be quickly 

 grown and should be about 6 inches tall above the root at the 

 time when they are fed. This material may furthermore be 

 supplemented to great advantage by feeding cut clover or cut 

 alfalfa which has been steamed. The birds relish this and 

 it has a valuable influence on the quality of the hatching egg^. 

 Attention to these points in the feeding of breeding birds will 

 go a long way in the reduction of mortality in the shell during 

 incubation. 



Turning now to the second class of causes, those having to 

 do with the operation of the incubator itself, it is probable that 

 the greatest single factor in incubation causing mortality in the 

 shell is a lack of sufficient moisture. In making this statement 

 it is of course assumed that the operator of the machine is 

 skilled in that work and that he understands how to run the 

 incubator at an even temperature. By improper temperatures 

 chicks may be killed in the shell very easily, but there should be 

 no difficulty in this direction with any good standard incubator, 

 provided the directions furnished by the manufacturers are 

 carefully followed. The need for a continuous and copious 

 supply of added moisture during incubation however is very 

 often overlooked. This necessary added moisture may be sup- 



