EGG-HATCHING MACHINES.

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume I, Issue 57, 27 October 1880, Page 4

EGG-HATCHING MACHINES.

Hatching eggs by machinery is nothing new, but new inventions for the purpose are continually being tried. Tne following is an interesting account of one of the latest : —

- v A newegg-hahchiug uiachiuG is otra of the great attractions at Cologne this season. The chief part of the machine consists of-a four-cornered glass case, which contains a water- vesel made of zinc. The vessel is filled twice a day with hot water, by which a temperature of 2deg. Reamur is kept up in the ' nest,' which is placed immediately over the zinc vessel. A gloat) covet closes in the whole

through which the curious visitor may watch all the details of hatching — the breaking of the egg, and the slippiug out of the young ones into the new world of life. No less than fifty of these chests are now shown in the Zoological Gardens. When the young bird is hatched, it remains for some hours in the * room' in which it was born, after which it is transferred to a second warm room, where it is fed with proper nourishment, and remains for twenty-four hours. A third case, or ' room)' to which it is moved on its second day of life, contains two sections — a warm upper chamber, and an empty room below, with small doors for slipping in and out at will. This last case is technically known as ' the hen,' as the young ones are committed to it until they are quite competent to be trusted with the adult. The directors of the Zoological Gardens are purposing to try experiments with their new machines on all the species of birds in their famous collection."