Hatching with Incubators 137 



Some incubators aie supplied with shallow 

 trays. These trays are to be filled with sand, 

 which is kept moist. In this case we have but 

 to follow operating instructions. Remember that 

 these machines are sold to be used with the sand. 

 If the sand tray is left out the incubator will not 

 do its best. 



Moisture may be supplied in the room about 

 the incubator by sprinkling the floor each morning. 

 If the air is very dry it should be sprinkled again 

 at noon. 



Sprinkling th^ eggs themselves is another method 

 that proves satisfactory. They may be sprinkled 

 with water at about one hundred degrees, or that 

 seems warm, not hot, to the hand. This may easily 

 be done by a small whisk brush, dipped into a pan 

 of warm water, and shaken over the eggs. Experi- 

 enced incubator men follow this practice, as it 

 moistens the membranes and makes it easier for 

 the chick to get out of the shell. They begin 

 sprinkling about the twelfth day, and stop about 

 the nineteenth day, before the shells open. 



Cooling Eggs. — There has been an almost tiniver- 

 sal belief that it was necessary to cool eggs fre- 

 quently during incubation in order to assure a good 



