INCUBATING v9 
time the incubator was set, hens were also 
set with eggs just as fresh and coming from 
the same breeding pens. Why the results 
should be so I do not know, except that the 
natural instinct tells the hen to do some 
things under the varying conditions of tem- 
perature and atmosphere that are not appar- 
ent to me. 
Manufacturers of some incubators claim 
the machines do not need supplied moisture, 
while others have a provision for additional 
moisture. I believe the hen has the instinct 
and the power to supply moisture as needed, 
as well as to know when to leave her eggs 
and when to return. 
The directions for airing the eggs supplied 
with my machine say that “some operators 
do not air the eggs any more than the time 
it takes to turn them, while others air them 
a considerable time, and that the operator 
must use his own judgment.” From results 
sometimes it would appear that our judg- 
ment does not compare with that of the hen. 
However, when all is said and done, I will 
stick to the incubator in preference to the 
hen. 
In the first place, buy a good incubator, 
set it up, making sure it is level, otherwise 
