Poultry Bulletin 5 



THE HATCHING PROBLEM 



The previous discussion dealing with factors influencing fertility ap- 

 plies equally as well to the problem of hatchability. In this way, it has 

 been demonstrated scientifically over and over again that hatchability is 

 in the main directly in proportion to fertility ; that is, a lot of eggs show- 

 ing a high fertility almost always possess strong germs and hatch well 

 while any lot of eggs showing low fertility possess many weak germs and 

 hatch poorly. It has been further demonstrated that chicks from good 

 hatches are usually far superior to chicks from poor hatches. That is, 

 where the' breeders are in good physical condition and are capable of pro- 

 ducing fertile eggs with strong germs which hatch well, the resulting 

 chicks are bound to be superior individuals; where on the other hand, 

 weak chicks usually result where the parent stock is weak and where a 

 considerable percentage of eggs set are infertile with many weak germs, 

 resulting in a poor hatch. These conditions are generally accepted facts 

 among hatcherymen. 



The percent of hatch bears a very definite relation to profit in any in- 

 cubator operation. In the production of baby chicks commercially, sales 

 are usually planned on the basis of 75 to 80% fertility and a 50% hatch. 

 These conditions bring about just a normal margin of profit. Where it is 

 possible through improved managerial conditions to get a higher fertility 

 and a higher percent of hatch the increased number of chicks secured re- 

 sult in a very marked increase in net returns. In addition the resulting 

 chicks are apt to be stronger, and of course give better satisfaction to the 

 purchaser. Likewise on the commercial egg farm, the breeding establish- 

 ment or the farm flock increased hatches materially reduce the cost per 

 chick. One can readily see, therefore, the important relation between fer- 

 tility and hatchability on the one hand and the general efficiency and 

 profitableness of the business on the other hand. 



SOME RESULTS FROM YEAST 



Being personally concerned with the importance and practical applica- 

 tion of this problem the writer has, for a number of years, been experi- 

 menting with various feeding methods and various managerial practices 

 which might have a practical and commercial application in overcoming 

 some of the low fertility and poor hatches which are so common at certain 

 times of the year. So it was that during the late winter and early spring 

 in 1924 a rather extensive observation was made with yeast as a possible 

 factor which would have some practical bearing on this question. 



This experiment was conducted purely on a commercial basis with an 

 eye to commercial results only. The yeast for this experiment was pur- 

 chased from a local supply house. No effort was made to communicate 

 with yeast manufacturers or to interest them in the fact that the experi- 



