The business of incubating fertile eggs in order to produce the day old chicks is one that is fraught with many risks but if you do it well, it can turn out to be quite profitable. If you are running a hatchery, it is important to understand your responsibility to chicken farmers in Kenya to give them chicks which are disease free and of good genetic quality.
It is important to put in place an effective program which will ensure there is adequate prevention of the infectious diseases as well as those diseases which are vertically transmitted (from mother to chick)in the production of chain of poultry business. Knowing the procedures and your responsibility as a hatchery operator will also prevent the unnecessary suffering of chicks and egg embryos. The staff that will be handling the eggs as well as live chicks in the hatchery must have the requisite skills in order to perform the poultry egg incubation procedure without causing undue suffering.
Location of Hatchery Building
The hatchery buildings should be situated as far as possible from other poultry and livestock. It should also be fenced off or you can build it in such a way that you can control the flow of traffic to the premises. Ensure you have protected it as much as possible from domestic animals, wild birds and other animals.
The Design of the Hatchery Building
Design the building in such a way that there is easy workflow and circulation of air in the place. Ensure work flow and air circulation along with drainage of the building are all in the same direction. The main work areas in the building should be physically separated from one another. These include areas such the egg receiving and storage area, the incubation rooms, the chick hatching rooms, the chick handling rooms as well as the disposal area of the hatchery debris. Do not just put everything in one place. Construct the hatchery with smooth materials which can be cleaned easily. This will make it easier to control hygiene and also disinfect the working area.
The Quality of Eggs
The fertilized eggs for hatching should be sourced from the most reputable breeder firms that supply that kinds of breeds that you are planning to hatch. For example, if you are planning to hatch the KARI Improved Kienyeji breeds, the best place to source your eggs is KARI Naivasha.
Abnormal eggs should not be used in hatching the day old chicks. These include the eggs which are dirty, broken, leaking or cracked. Do not use the floor eggs for the hatching process. Use clean and sanitized hatching eggs that have passed though a good handling system. The eggs should also have been stored at temperatures below 24°C which is the embryonic threshold temperature.
Handling Hatching Eggs
There should be very little handling of hatching eggs and even doing so, do it gently with care. The staff handling the eggs should also wash their hands with both soap and water. They can also use an appropriate disinfectant such as vinegar or alcohol. The eggs should be sanitized through an appropriate method as recommended by a veterinarian.
The Basics of Hatching Eggs
When it comes to poultry egg incubation, there are certain important factors that you should keep in mind. These include the following:-
Temperature: – Once the egg is at the right temperature of 37.5°C for incubation, the process of incubation will commence and the egg embryo begins to grow. This temperature should be maintained throughout the process of incubation. The hatching temperature should be stepped down to 37°C.
Turning and Positioning of the Eggs
The turning of the egg will make the embryo pass through the egg white so that it is nourished and gets fresh nutrients. As the embryo grows inside, it is important to ensure correct egg positioning. This will guarantee that the embryo will be able to form in the correct position for the hatching process.
Humidity
The egg shell is porous and it can thus allow water to pass through it. During the incubation process, water will pass from inside the egg shell to the outside environment. Maintaining correct humidity will ensure that only the right amount of humidity is lost over the incubation period. Humidity may vary but it is good to maintain the condition at an average humidity. The correct incubator humidity RH% is 52% while the humidity(RH%) for the hatcher should be maintained at 75%.
Fresh air
The egg breathes during the incubation process. It will take in oxygen from its surrounding and discharge carbon dioxide. Maintaining a fresh supply of air is important for proper incubation and hatching.
Clean environment
Because the egg breathes, it is very susceptible to infection if the environment outside is not hygienic. Before incubation, ensure that you have put in place proper egg hygiene measures.
Chick Take-Off
When it comes to take-off, the hatching trays should be held in a horizontal position. The chicks should be gently removed from the hatching trays. The hatchery staff who will be handling the chicks during the take-off should wash and disinfect their hands. Remove cull chicks and dispose them as humanely as possible. You can use maceration, carbon dioxide etc. Do not allow an undue drop in body temperatures during the chick take-off after hatching.
Chick Sexing
In certain hatcheries, vent sexing is generally applied and this should be performed by skilled and well trained staff. However, color and feather sexing does not require much skill. Even so, the staff members carrying these out should be well-trained.