6o THE BEGINNER IN POULTRY 



But, we often ignore tlie related fact that the growth of 

 the embryo is a process only suspended, between the 

 period of exclusion and that of being put to incubate, 

 and it is a process suspended because, and only because 

 of the temperature iji which it is held. Subject the em- 

 bryo, accustomed to a temperature of 104 to 107, — 

 which is the temperature of the hen's blood, — immedi- 

 ately upon exclusion to a temperature of 32, or below, 

 and what right have you to think that it will not be 

 injured, or die outright ? Subject it, on the contrary, 

 to a temperature of 100 to 140 degrees in an express 

 car, and what right have you to expect that it will do 

 other than take up the arrested development when the 

 temperature is favorable, or die when it is fatally high ? 



All the foregoing is simply to lead up convincingly 

 to this : The proper care and handling of chicks de- 

 mands, IN ADVANCE, all that combination of favorable 

 conditions which will insure the production of a perfect 

 egg, well-shelled : but it demands no less the best of 

 care for that egg while the process of development 

 is suspended ; and also that this process shall not be 

 suspended too long. A fertile egg, after it is presented 

 to us, is a living, young animal, existing in what may 

 be termed an abnormal environment. In a temperature 

 of 40 to 50 degrees, or thereabouts (50 preferred), it 

 will remain in excellent condition (if kept dry) for 

 about ten days, and will hatch, up to that time, nearly 

 as well as what we term " strictly fresh." In a damp 

 place, however, it may very soon be attacked by some 

 injurious fungus which finds its way through the shell. 



Despite the discouraging ravages of white diarrhoea, 

 in its varied forms, the season of 191 1 saw an access 



