22 CHICKS 



cloth diaphragms and drawn out from near the floor through 

 vertical pipes which extenci up through and above the roof, 

 satisfactory results will be obtained. 



Operating the Incubator. 



The incubator is not by any means difficult to operate. 

 One of the mistakes most frequently made, especially by 

 beginners, is bu}dng a machine late in the season, very near 

 the time when it is desired to operate it. It should be re- 

 membered that spring is a busy season for the incubator 

 companies, and that it is sometimes impossible for them, 

 however well equipped they may be, to fill an order the 

 same day as it is received. Again if they are able to do this, 

 there is no certainty that shipments will not be delayed by 

 the transportation companies. Instances are on record 

 where incubators have been delayed a month when the ship- 

 ping distance was less than two hundred miles. It is ad- 

 visable for every beginner to have his machine some time 

 before he desires to fill it with eggs in order to become fully 

 acquainted with its operation. 



Most machines are shipped practically ready to run, it 

 being the work of but a few minutes to put on the regulator 

 and adjust it, screw the legs on and place th^ lamp in posi- 

 tion. Every machine should be level before it is started 

 and it is best if it stands upon a firm foimdation where it 

 will not be jarred materially during the season. Although 

 it is possible to operate an incubator in a moving freight 

 car, it is not advisable to subject the machine to such con- 

 ditions when it is not necessary. 



Three or four days should intervene after the heat is 

 turned on before the eggs are placed on the trays and incuba- 

 tion started. This is required to get the machine thorough- 

 ly dried out, warmed through in every part, and the regu- 

 lator exactly adjusted. The burner of the lamp should be 

 thoroughly cleaned frequently and the wick trimmed once 

 each day, preferably in the morning. All flues through 

 which the direct draft from the flame passes should be 

 cleaned thoroughly once a week if they can be reached. A 

 swab on the end of a pliable wire is the best tool for the 

 purpose. 



None but eggs of normal size and shape should be used 



