Mi THE THAI' MOT TEXT I'.imiE 



CAUSES OF FAILURE WITH INCUBATORS. 



I think there can be but little doubt that, as a general proposition, 

 the causes lor unsatisfactory results with incubators can be easily. and 

 briefly explained. The incubator is generally started at a time when 

 sitting hens are. not available and the conditions in the flock are un- 

 favorable for good fertility. This will, I believe, account for any large 

 percentage of absolutely infertile eggs m the machine. 



Poor results in the incubation of fertile eggs can be accounted for by 

 the condition of the breeding stock, the manner in which the eggs are 

 handled before they are placed in the machine, and the failure of the 

 operator to realize that the inventor and the manufacturer of the ma- 

 chine and the expert operator know about 90 i)-10 per cent, more about 

 it than he possibly can. 



The sooner a fertile egg is incubated after it is laid the better will be 

 the chances of getting a lively chick from it. The capacity of the incu- 

 bator is often too great for the capacity of the breeding pen, or 

 pens, to supply hatchable eggs: hence fhe eggs are held too 

 long before being placed in the machine. In order to get the trays full 

 anything in the shape of an egg is pressed into service. Brown eggs 

 and white eggs, large eggs and small eggs are placed in the same ma- 

 chine — something that should never be done. 



That antiquated and frequently-resurrected yarn of the hen that steals 

 her nest and brings off a chick for every egg has no virtue as an argu- 

 ment against artificial incubation. That event usually occurs at a time 

 when the condition of the bird, and the conditions that surround her. 

 are the most favorable for reproduction. 



I had a hen that "stole her nest" out in the orchard, laid a nestful of 

 infertile eggs and sat on them for live weeks. The incubator is all right 

 but it does not provide an automatic reasoning-apparatus with the auto- 

 matic heat-rejfulator. 



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