24 POULTRY 
the chicks are very likely to die in the shell. 
Also, if the moisture pan is taken out of the 
incubator at this time or at the beginning of 
the exclusion period, the inner shell mem- 
brane becomes very dry, hard, and brittle, 
and the chick will have difficulty in picking 
its way out of the shell. The shell membrane 
may stick to the back of the chicks, or the 
chicks’ intestines may be entirely pulled up 
from being attached to this dry inner 
membrane. 
Turning the Eggs. The eggs should be 
turned at the end of twelve hours after they 
are put in the machine. In other words, if 
they are put in the machine at eight or nine 
o’clock in the morning they should be turned 
for the first time at eight or nine at night. 
The proper way to turn eggs is as follows: 
One end of the tray or trays should be 
marked with a pencil. Two or three rows of 
eggs should be taken from that end of the 
tray and placed at one side. With the palm 
of the hands, the remaining eggs in the tray 
should then be rolled toward the mark on the 
tray. Each time the eggs are turned this 
same procedure should be followed, removing 
