INCUBATION 169 



Always get eggs from the best sources. Enough 

 directions are not given about changing the posi- 

 tion of the eggs in the drawer. Manufacturers say- 

 that the heat is the same all over the drawer, but 

 not one machine in 1,000 will give the same heat in 

 every part. Therefore, it is advisable to shift the 

 eggs from place to place in the drawer. 



INCUBATOR MANAGEMENT 



One of the most important factors in successful 

 incubation is an abundant supply of oxygen, which 

 the developing embryos must obtain only from 

 sweet, fresh air. To get an abundance of fresh air 

 where the incubator cellar is partly below ground 

 is much more difficult than when the hatching room 

 is level with the earth. 



During the past few years there has been a con- 

 siderable amount of controversy with regard to the 

 operation of incubators with or without moisture. 

 Poultrymen are generally agreed that moisture in 

 some form is necessary. Two experiment stations 

 have published bulletins showing that the machines 

 which had moisture supplied gave larger hatches, 

 and stronger chicks than the machines operated 

 without being supplied with more moisture than 

 is contained in the atmosphere. The publication of 

 this work has led some large incubator manufac- 

 turers to equip their machines with automatic 

 moisture regulators, and there is no doubt that 

 this is a great improvement on the non-moisture 

 machines. The conditions under which a machine 

 is operated has everything to do with the success 

 of the hatch. By his expert operation the experi- 

 enced man may secure a good hatch from an in- 



