258 



COMMERCIAL POULTRY RAISING 



Some idea of the effort and strain may be gleaned from the fact 

 that the temperature of the hen, which under normal conditions 

 burns with much greater vitality than the temperature of man, 

 rises two or three degrees above normal at the time the egg is 

 being laid. 



The first step in the important work of incubation lies in the 

 selection of the eggs. Hatching eggs of prime quality must be 

 laid by hens which are intelligently bred, carefully fed and quar- 

 tered, and from blood lines of known 

 reliability as to stamina and prolific- 

 ness. 



Poor hatches are often blamed on 

 the incubator, on the eccentricities of 

 a perverse hen, or the poultry raiser will 

 rail against weather conditions, or what 

 not, as the cause of his failure, when^n 

 reality the quality of the eggs is entirely 

 at fault. The first essential being the 

 character of the parent stock, the next 

 step is the selection of eggs suitable for 

 incubation, for all eggs, even though 

 they are laid by strong, healthy birds, 

 are not equally hatchable. A third 

 step might be called the care of the 

 eggs prior to hatching them, since they 

 are extremely susceptible to surround- 

 ing conditions. 

 It is useless to attempt to obtain strong, vigorous, li^'able 

 chicks, the kind that are calculated to perpetuate one's stock 

 with profitable, productive fowls, from a sickK', poorly fed, 

 listless, degenerate, in-bred, dwarfed and anemic flock of breeders, 

 for the reason that it is impossible to produce anyiirst-class article 

 from inferior materials. This is a natural law, and it is im- 

 mutable. 



Eggs from over-fat breeding stock seldom produce a large 

 percentage of chicks. Hens that are closely confined, without 



{Courtesy NewtawnGiantlncubalor Co.) 



Fig. 163. — Sectional view 

 of coal-burning incubator 

 stove, with automatic fuel 

 feeder. 



