Temperature requirement for on-farm hatching 42
After a good incubation process of 18 days, eggs can be candled and transported to the farm where eggs will hatch under their own steam. This knowledge inspired the idea of hatching chicks in the house, or on-farm hatching. On-farm hatching eliminates the need for chick transport. Chicks that hatch in the house can intake feed and water as soon as they are ready. There are various systems for hatching chicks in the house. They have a less stressful start to life, which keeps them calmer. With on-farm hatching, it is easier to track the hatching curve, and use the information to check that the hatching and chick temperatures are within the desired range. Hatching can take place in a special system (e.g. Patio, X-treck) or on the floor (e.g. One2Born, Nestborn). Uniform and correct air and floor temperatures are critical to keeping the eggs and chicks at the right temperature. On-farm hatching is currently used exclusively for broilers, as they do not need sexing. With the development of in-ovo sexing for laying hen hatcheries, on-farm hatching is also likely to be used in the egg production sector.
41
Temperature (°C)
40
100 dry chick: 39.5 - 40.5°C
39 38
80
dry chick
hatching egg: 37.5 - 38.5°C
60
hatching egg
37 36 35 32
40
house (air) floor: 33.0 - 34.5°C
32 19.0
20
floor (concrete)
32 19.5
20.0
20.5
Hatchability (%)
On-farm hatching
21.0
19 21.5
Incubation time (days)
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ht
pr ot
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The poultry house temperature is normally set for day-old chicks. The set point must be a little higher during hatching, so the newly hatched chicks do not cool down too much. It is often too cold for the first chicks, because heat production from all the other chicks is still too low. It is important to look at the hatching pattern to maintain the optimal house temperature.
A rail system (X-treck) that is suspended above the floor. Setter trays with 18 day-incubated eggs are placed on the rail. The poultry manager can easily regulate the airflow and temperature surrounding the embryo by adjusting the height of the system. The chicks hatch in the house after 19-20 days of incubation and they have immediate access to feed and water.
In this system (Patio), the chicks hatch in the house, on a grid system above the living area. Post-hatch, the chicks drop through the grid to the living area with feed and water. This gives the chicks a good start. The chicks are housed on belts arranged as six tiers, instead of on a concrete floor. This allows more chicks to be housed in one building, which reduces heating costs. Instead of day-old-chicks, the poultry farmer receives 18-day incubated eggs.
9. H at c h i n g
145
