ARTIFICIAL INCUBATION 



The author feels justified in saying that the incubator is 

 one of the most useful appliances that the Pheasant-rearer 

 can possess, and anyone having a considerable number of 

 birds to rear is most certainly seriously handicapped with- 

 out it. It is common knowledge that chicks or Pheasants 

 incubated by artificial means from start to finish are not as 

 vigorous as broods hatched under natural conditions. 



It is not, however, intended that the incubator can be 

 advantageously employed for cold eggs, because as such it is 

 certainly not equal to broody hens, but its chief merits, as an 

 artificial aid, come into play during the final phases of natural 

 incubation, as directly the eggs begin to chip, they should be 

 removed to the incubator, and the hatching process com- 

 pleted therein. 



As a rule in a sitting of eggs all the chicks do not come 

 out on the same day, and the more weakly members are very 

 liable to be trampled to death, which can be obviated by placing 

 the remainder of the eggs in the machine. Another advan- 

 tage in the use of the incubator is that for drying the birds as 

 soon as they are hatched, and they can be kept in the drawer 

 until a sufficient length of time has elapsed for feeding 

 them. 



As there are many incubators on the market, the selection 

 of the machine must be left for individual choice, but never 

 purchase a cheap incubator, because it is impossible to put 

 the best adjustments into a machine and sell it at a low 

 price. 



Probably two of the best incubators on the market are those 

 of Messrs Haersons (Spratt's Patent), and those manufactured 

 by Messrs Gilbertson & Page, Hertford. Whatever make 

 be selected there are certain general principles in the manage- 

 ment of an incubator which are of primary importance, and 

 unless these are attended to, failure, either partial or complete, 



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