GENERAL INFORMATION 
seen. Those eggs showing a fair-sized air space 
with the remainder of the egg perfectly dark, with- 
out any streakiness or watery appearance, contain 
live chicks. The eggs that contain dead germs will 
not show the complete development the others do, 
but will appear streaky and watery and some may 
give off a foul odor. Any eggs which you are 
doubtful about may be left in the machine with the 
live germs, but all those you are positive are dead 
should be thrown out at once. Good egg-testers 
can be secured of any of the incubator companies 
for twenty-five to fifty cents. 
Chicks may be “marked” by means of the 
Poultry Punch, a small and inexpensive instru- 
Marking ment by means of which one may 
Chicks punch or cut a small hole in the 
web of the chick’s foot. The fancier often has 
occasion to use one of these markers so that he may 
keep tab on the results from his different matings, 
or distinguish chicks hatched from purchased eggs 
from those of his own strain. The marking should 
be done as soon as the chicks are removed from the 
nest or the incubator, as at this time the wound 
will not hurt nor bleed, as it may if the marking be 
deferred until later. As chicks have two webs in 
each of their two feet, it is possible to make quite 
a number of different combinations if necessary. 
The most level-headed, practical poultrymen in- 
sist upon eight or ten square feet of house room per 
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