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EDITORIAL
After years of research, prototypes, and trials, in-ovo sexing has moved from a promise to a commercial reality. This technology, developed to determine the sex of the embryo before hatching, is progressively reshaping the egg supply chain. It is not only a response to the ethical debate on the culling of day-old male chicks, but also a structural shift that involves hatcheries, farmers, and consumers.
In Europe, where several countries have already banned the culling of male chicks at hatch, adoption of this technology has reached 28% of the layer population, with interest continuing to grow. Even in markets where no ban is yet in place – such as the United States, Brazil, and Switzerland – momentum is gathering, driven by consumers and retailers increasingly attentive to sustainability across the supply chain. The message is clear: demand for “cull-free” eggs, produced without killing male chicks, is rising fast.
In this month’s special section, we provide readers with a clear and up-to-date overview of the solutions currently available. Alongside the introductory article, which traces the global spread of this technology, we showcase the approaches of four companies active in Europe and beyond: Agri Advanced Technologies, Nectra, Orbem, and Seleggt. Each applies a different method — from hyperspectral imaging to allantoic fluid analysis to artificial intelligence — yet they all pursue the same goal: preventing the hatching of chicks otherwise destined for culling, while enhancing production efficiency. The adoption of in-ovo sexing is certainly a technical issue, but it also touches on the reputation of the entire sector. At a time when animal welfare is in the spotlight and production costs call for strategic choices, this technology offers a practical response for an industry striving to innovate while staying true to its core values.
➤ Marianna Caterino
SEPTEMBER 2025
4 10 12 14 16 18 20 26 32
INSIDE IN-OVO SEXING
Innovative approaches to egg sexing
From challenge to breakthrough: embryo sex determination with CHEGGY technology
Chinese broiler production reaches record high amid challenges
DOSSIER
Better for birds, the Earth, and you: Kipster’s egg
MARKETING
The Canadian egg industry - A portrait
TECH COLUMN
Keeping the hatchery clean and disinfected
MANAGEMENT
Partial house brooding design and management for broiler breeders
MARKET GUIDE
UPCOMING EVENTS
INTERNET GUIDE
VIV MEA 2025 FEATURES POULTRY MARKETING ROUND TABLE, FIRST AQUATIC PAVILION, AND MORE
The Middle East’s food industry is changing fast, and VIV MEA 2025 will showcase this transformation like never before.
Taking place November 25-27, 2025 at the Abu Dhabi National Exhibition Centre (ADNEC), this major trade show brings together global innovation with regional market needs.
VIV MEA has become the region’s most complete platform, covering the entire food chain from animal feed to final products. The event covers all areas of food production, including poultry, livestock, dairy, and aqua farming in one connected experience. This approach makes VIV MEA
the perfect one-stop destination for industry professionals looking for solutions that work across different food sectors. The event’s wide coverage reflects how modern food production works, where improvements in animal feed directly affect livestock health, where better dairy processing increases farm profits, and where sustainable practices must be used across all food sources. For visitors, this means access to complete solutions that can improve entire operations, not just individual parts.
Poultry marketing Round Table: bridging theory and practice
The Poultry Marketing Round Table (PMRT) returns to VIV MEA 2025 with a critical focus on one of the industry’s most pressing challenges: intelligent water management. Established in 2019 and organized by three global leaders – Middle East Agrifood Publishers (MEAP), VIV Worldwide/VNU Europe, and WATT Global Media – the PMRT has become a premier platform where academics, industry technicians, poultry producers, policymakers, and clients converge to address sustainability innovations. The roundtable’s vision emphasizes that marketing is both science and art, bridging theoretical knowledge with practical applications to shape sustainable strategies for the poultry industry’s future.
This year’s edition, titled Intelligent Water Use in Poultry Farming: From Intake to Impact, addresses a fundamental paradox facing global agriculture. The session will explore how water, an irreplaceable resource essential for bird health and biosecurity, must be managed with unprecedented intelligence and efficiency. Join this crucial dialogue on November 26, 2025, from 14:00–17:30 at ADNEC during VIV MEA, where industry leaders will discuss innovative approaches to water management that could define the sector’s sustainable future.
More than products: building business relationships
While VIV MEA serves as an excellent product showcase, its true value goes far beyond technology displays. In an increasingly digital world, the event provides the essential face-to-face environment where meaningful business relationships are built, maintained, and strengthened. The event serves as the meeting point where industry players show their commitment to regional clients and customers.
Furthermore, VIV MEA provides crucial competitive visibility in a rapidly changing market. The event offers unmatched opportunities to identify emerging market trends, assess competitive developments, and position products and services for future opportunities.
Market growth and future outlook
"I’m proud to see how VIV MEA 2025 has grown, with more visitors and exhibitors each year", VIV MEA sales oversight manager Rachel Lum shares. "Key themes like food security, sustainability innovations, and investment in alternative proteins seem to be shaping this momentum. We are grateful for the continued collaboration and loyalty we’ve seen from our partners – 78% of this edition’s exhibitors are returning. At the same time, there’s growing interest from new businesses eager to enter the Middle Eastern market. I believe this provides a great opportunity to connect with a unique blend of leading global and regional players across the feed-to-food supply chain. VIV MEA 2025 is truly a must-attend event for anyone involved in this industry, especially within the rapidly evolving market of the Middle East."
This market momentum creates a particularly dynamic environment for VIV MEA 2025, where breakthrough technologies, strategic partnerships, and marketshaping announcements are expected to define the event’s impact on regional agriculture.
WHY CHOOSE INTR A MULTI
-
DES GA?
Completely eliminates Avian Infl uenza E
ective against bacteria, viruses and yeasts
AVIAN FLU: COMMISSION WILL PROVIDE €14
MILLION TO POLAND TO COMPENSATE FARMERS
Following a positive vote by Member States, the Commission will provide €14 million to Poland to help compensate farmers in areas affected by outbreaks of avian flu. Financed by the agricultural reserve, the payments must be made to farmers by 28 February 2026.
Between 9 August 2021 and 3 August 2023, 193 outbreaks of highly pathogenic avian influenza of subtype H5 (“avian flu”) were confirmed and notified by Poland. The species affected were chickens, laying hens, turkeys, ducks, and geese. Poland took all the necessary animal health and veterinary measures, including control, monitoring and preventive measures. Protection and surveillance zones were established. This led to a loss of production of hatching eggs, eggs for consumption, live animals and poultry meat in the farms located in those areas under movement restrictions, as well as losses due to destroyed and downgraded eggs and meat.
Following a formal request by Poland, the Commission decided, after thorough analysis, to cover with EU funds 50% of the expenditure borne by Poland to support concerned farmers providing a total amount of €14 059 607 from the agricultural reserve. This amount was established on the basis of set compensation amount per animal and egg.
Only farms located in those regulated zones and affected by the control measures caused by the 193 mentioned outbreaks will be entitled to receive this support. To avoid double funding with public money, losses suffered should not have been compensated by state aid or insurance. Payments co-financed by the agricultural reserve must be made by 28 February 2026 at the latest. After the formal adoption of the support measure by the Commission, the implementing regulation will be published in the EU Official Journal and is expected to enter into force at the beginning of August.
SUCCESSFUL HUBBARD PREMIUM FORUM 2025 HELD IN VIENNA, AUSTRIA
On 2-4 June, Hubbard organised its 5th Premium Forum for over 160 participants from 32 countries. Attendees came not only from almost all European countries, but also from North and South America, Africa and Asia.
The biennial forum was opened by Olivier Rochard, Managing Director, and Bruno Briand, Global Sales Director. The Hubbard Premium product range is an important part of our business and in recent years we have invested a lot of extra money in the latest selection techniques, production locations and customer support. Hubbard Premium breeds are used all over the world: from Label Rouge, organic, free range, extensive indoor, BCC/ECC in Europe and America to dual purpose and traditional breeds in Africa and Asia. Each market requires a specific approach and breed combination, hence our extensive product range that is continuously reviewed for further improvements and adjustments in order to best meet the (emerging) markets.
During the 2-day event internal and external presenters covered a wide variety of topics. These included an update on the Austrian poultry market and more than 25 years of experience with Hubbard Premium, the European Chicken Commitment and Sustainability, projects for small-scale farmers in Africa, and growing premium markets in Asia.
In addition, new Hubbard Premium breeder performance objectives were presented in light of the excellent field results. Hubbard's Customer Service Mission was explained, and more information on Hubbard Premium broiler nutrition and breeder management, as well as an update on Hubbard Premium broiler performance, was shared. The importance of adapted incubation profiles for Hubbard Premium breeds was also specifically highlighted. Frederic Fagnoul, Director of R&D, provided an in-depth update on developments in selecting Hubbard Premium breeds and the use of cutting-edge techniques, such as CT scanning, measurement of Lifetime Feed Conversion using feeding stations, and genomics, to further increase the accuracy of selecting the best breeds for our customers.
At the end of the forum, special recognition awards were presented to our loyal and long-term grandparent customer Paragon from Bangladesh, and to James Bentley, who has been involved with Hubbard in one way or another for nearly 40 years.
BREEDAZA THE RATIONING SYSTEM FOR BROILER BREEDERS
AND LAYERS
ADJUSTABLE ANTI-COCK GRID
NO OBSTACLE INSIDE
EASY ACCESS TO FEED
System designed for equal, controlled and immediate distribution throughout the line.
The obstacle-free linear trough feeder allows an easy access for the animals which can easily spot the feed.
Easy cleaning and no residual feed inside the trough.
INNOVATIVE APPROACHES TO EGG SEXING
The rise of specialized layer genetics in the mid-20th century introduced a lasting challenge for egg producers: identifying and culling male chicks. This practice has long posed economic, operational, and ethical burdens across the sector. For the last few decades, the global egg industry has actively supported the development of a solution to this challenge. These efforts have now paid off.
➤ Innovate Animal Ag is a think tank helping egg producers improve animal health and welfare through cutting-edge technologies
Innovators in Europe and around the world have developed in-ovo sexing technology, a breakthrough that uses biotechnology to determine the sex of a chick embryo before hatching.
The technology unlocks efficiencies for hatcheries by reducing sexing labor, freeing up incubator space, and enabling technologies like in-ovo vaccination that were previously impracticable in layers due to the necessity of post-hatch sex sorting.
Current commercial status
In-ovo sexing has gained considerable global momentum over the last few years. Spurred initially by bans on the practice of male culling in Germany and France, the technology has now spread to markets without culling bans including the Netherlands, Norway, Switzerland, and the US. Since the technology’s first commercial runs in late 2018, over 400 million eggs have been sexed globally, yielding over 175 million female chicks.
The technology is now widespread in Europe. Original research by Innovate Animal Ag indicates that over 110 million of the 393 million head EU layer flock were sexed in-ovo, a 28% market penetration. In addition to the upcoming ban on chick culling in Italy in 2027, there is also discussion of EU-wide regulatory action on the topic. The technology was also recently adopted in the US and Brazil and is now in the early stages of scaling up. The first eggs produced without culling are currently on sale by the egg producer NestFresh across the US. Additionally, the largest US retailer, Walmart, has included in-ovo sexing as a focus area for their egg suppliers, and the United Egg
Producers has released an in-ovo sexing certification. In Brazil the egg producer Raiar Orgânicos pioneered the adoption of a machine because they believed their customers expect them to actively seek out the best market practices.
Europe’s success and the growing market-led adoption in the US and Brazil has caught the attention of many countries around the world. Over the coming years, the technology will likely continue its global expansion and proliferate to greenfield markets like Australia, Canada, the UK, and the rest of the European Union.
Technologies
Multiple approaches exist for egg sexing, with two broad approaches commercialized in Europe and the US. Imaging-based technologies look “through” the eggshell to determine embryo sex. Two leading companies have rolled out this class of technology broadly: Agri Advanced Technologies produces their Cheggy machine, which uses hyperspectral imaging to detect embryonic feather color in brown sex-link breeds. The German company Orbem combines advanced AI with high-throughput MRI in their Genus Focus machine to detect the type of gonads in developing embryos.
A third company in this category, Omegga, is just beginning its commercial rollout. Omegga’s system uses specialized cameras installed directly inside the incubator to collect spectroscopic images over multiple days, eliminating the need to remove eggs for sexing.
Liquid-based analysis technologies involve making a tiny hole in the shell to sample allantoic fluid for chemical or biological analysis. The lead technology in this space is from Seleggt whose machine is widely deployed throughout Europe and is installed in one US hatchery. Gene editing approaches remain in research and development. Companies like EggXYT, NextHen, and Hatched Genetics are developing genetic markers to identify male embryos prior to set or to influence the breeder to only lay females. These organizations are developing clever strategies where only male embryos carry edited traits, making female chicks and their eggs non-GMO. While requiring substantial upfront integration work, these approaches could potentially offer cheap and accurate sexing in the future.
Consumer benefits
Consumer research on in-ovo sexing generally shows that consumers have low awareness of chick culling, but once informed are extremely interested in seeing the technology implemented. One study of US consumers commissioned by Innovate Animal Ag found that 71% of egg buyers are willing to pay a price premium and around half would be willing to pay 5 cents extra per table egg, significantly more than the added cost of in-ovo sexing (generally less than one cent per table egg). Similar consumer research in Brazil and the UK shows that this willingness to pay is significant and steady across geographies. Some egg producers, like NestFresh in the US, are leaning into this consumer demand. NestFresh sells their eggs under the branding “Humanely Hatched,” which offers consumers an intuitive, positive understanding of the welfare claims without having to use technical terms like “in-ovo sexing” or “culling.” This helps NestFresh and its retail partners differentiate themselves from competitors.
The future of in-ovo sexing
For decades, cost-effective and scalable in-ovo sexing has been a distant dream for our industry. The rapid and broad rollout of the technology in the last few years has made it clear that this dream is now a reality. Hatcheries and egg producers embracing this technology today are positioning themselves as industry leaders, futureproofing their supply chains and being rewarded by the ever-evolving consumer.
FROM CHALLENGE TO BREAKTHROUGH: EMBRYO SEX DETERMINATION WITH CHEGGY TECHNOLOGY
Efficiency and innovation are shaping the future of the egg industry. In modern egg production, every step, every resource - and every animal - counts. Every unused resource costs money - and in the egg industry, over 7 billion day-old male chicks are culled after hatching for no economic benefit, making egg production an ethical and economic issue.
Countries such as Germany and France have already banned the culling of male chicks, and regulatory pressure is also growing in other markets such as Italy. In addition to legislation, another driving force is the changing awareness
of end consumers, restaurants, and food retailers, who are increasingly paying attention to sustainability and animal welfare - and not just in the EU, where over 20% of laying hens are already sexed in-ovo.
★ Figure 1: Cheggy unit for high-speed measurement in Iowa, USA
In-ovo sexing with CHEGGY worldwide – A step forward
Following the placement of twelve machines in Europe, the first CHEGGY units have been in use in the USA since December 2024. They enable regular commercial sexing in two hatcheries in Iowa and Texas, so the first eggs from sexed hens can already be purchased in supermarkets, in response to popular demand in recent years, with 64% of U.S. consumers agreeing that the egg industry should adopt in-ovo sexing.
Similar demands are now being voiced in Brazil - even louder: a recent survey conducted a strong discomfort with the egg industry’s practice. 76% believe industry should find an alternative solution. However, once the concept was explained, 72% of the participants agreed that industry should adopt in-ovo sexing technologies. So, this published survey, in which the Brazilian population expressed great interest in egg sexing, shows that large egg producers such as Brazil are also a substantial market for in-ovo sexing. This is in line with our construction of a machine in Nova Granada, Brazil. CHEGGY makes it now possible to determine which eggs are suitable for laying hen production at an early stage of incubation – to the benefit of Brazilian breeders, producers, and consumers.
CHEGGY technology
The CHEGGY technology was developed by Agri Advanced Technologies (AAT). By using the state-ofthe-art hyperspectral analysis to determine the sex of the embryo without penetrating the eggshell, the non-invasive method reduces the risk of infection or other complications, and ensures a high hatchability rate without the need for a surplus of hatching eggs - a significant advantage over biochemical methods.
The technology enables the reliable inspection and sorting of up to 25,000 eggs per hour with an average accuracy of over 97%. CHEGGY is therefore the fastest technology of its kind and enables scalable and efficient implementation in industrial hatcheries. On the one hand, the incubated eggs only have to be removed from the incubators for a short time, which minimizes hatching losses, and on the other hand, it is also possible to process the large quantities that are usual in commercial hatcheries without any restrictions in the normal operating process; extra shifts or night and weekend work are not necessary.
Compared to the other in-ovo sexing machines, CHEGGY's scale of only 15 m2 allows it to be installed in almost all hatcheries without the need for extensive structural modifications. In addition, the purely optical
★ Figure 2 – Non-invasive sex determination of hatching eggs
process, which combines the images from the hyperspectral cameras with special software and evaluation algorithms, impresses with its low energy consumption and minimizes running costs and, ultimately, also the costs for the end user – being the best of its kind.
Investment with strategic advantages
Another advantage is its ability to detect unfertilized eggs. This not only maximizes the use of the entire hatching capacity but also saves additional energy - the entire production process is made even more environmentally friendly and resource efficient, which is important for companies that want to focus on sustainable practices and optimize their processes.
Growing awareness of animal welfare also means that consumers are willing to pay a premium for eggs from animal welfare-compliant production. Certifications such as ‘Certified Humane’ or ‘Approved Hatchery Operations’ make it possible to justify the resulting price premium of just a few cents per dozen eggs – without compromising competitiveness. This marginal premium is seen as a justified contribution to considerable ethical added value.
By adopting in-ovo technologies at an early stage today, companies will be well-prepared for the regulatory challenges of tomorrow. Eggs sexed with CHEGGY not only represent a technical innovation but also offer a valuable economic opportunity to position themselves as pioneers of sustainable farming. The next step for an innovative egg industry – CHEGGY is making it real.
www.cheggy.com
NECTRA OVOSEX1 – BROWN LAYER IN-OVO
SEXING MACHINE & TECHNOLOGY
NECTRA is a worldwide leader in automated hatchery equipment, providing comprehensive solutions for handling and analyzing live fertile eggs and embryos up to the day-old chick stage. To respond to animal welfare concerns and prevent the culling of male chicks NECTRA has developed the OVOSEX1 machine.
➤ Dr Ephrem Adjanohoun, NECTRA
OVOSEX1 is a very compact in-ovo sexing machine, measuring just 1.3 m wide, 3.5 m long and 1.9 m high (Picture 1). It is capable of determining the sex of embryos inside eggs without opening or damaging the shell – a completely non-invasive process. This proprietary technology analyzes phenotypic differences between male and female embryos through the shell, without opening a hole. Because the shell remains intact, there is no risk of bacterial contamination, and the embryo’s integrity and hatchability potential are fully preserved.
The OVOSEX1 offers a high level of accuracy for the industry, and is capable of identifying female eggs with over 97% up to 99% accuracy during well managed processes. Specific configurations can ensure that selected female eggs are 100% male-free for specific usages. The technology targets brown layers and has shown reliable performance on Novobrown and three other commercial layer breeds.
In-ovo sexing takes place around 13.5 days of incubation in full compliance with European regulations currently enforced in France and Germany since January 2023, and remains well within the legal timeframe. Future generations of OVOSEX1 are expected to perform sexing even earlier, likely around 12 days or less, thanks to ongoing genetic and technology advancements. The machine not only distinguishes between male and female embryos but also detects and separates clear (unfertilized) eggs and dead embryos. An automatic removal system then extracts and separates all these unwanted eggs (clear eggs, dead embryos, as well as rejected male eggs in the case of layer breeds).
Since the OVOSEX1 is a non-invasive technology, the shell remains undamaged during the process, each egg category can be automatically diverted for recycling or repurposing:
• clear eggs can be used for value-added animal feed; • male eggs, still intact, can be repurposed for animal or human consumption in certain markets.
Key advantages over other technologies
The OVOSEX1 offers three major advantages over most competing technologies:
1. High speed
Despite its compact footprint, one single OVOSEX1 can process up to 30,000 eggs per hour and analyze 400 eggs simultaneously, making it compatible with most existing hatchery setups. Special versions for higher speed are available.
2. Low labor & minimal risk
The machine performs in-ovo sexing directly within the setter trays, avoiding the need to remove eggs. This
eliminates handling damage, and prevents contamination, unlike other technologies that require eggs to be removed, increasing the risk of microcracks and bacterial infection.
The NECTRA OVOSEX1 machine is highly innovative in this respect, as it performs sexing without removing eggs from the setter trays. It reduces labor, space requirements, prevents cross-contamination, preserves eggshell integrity and hatchability potential (Pictures 2 and 3).
3. Low operational cost
Combining high speed, compact design, non-invasive sexing, and tray-based operation, the OVOSEX1 emerges
Picture 3 – Automated removal of unwanted eggs, leaving 100% female eggs on trays
as one of the most cost-effective in-ovo sexing technologies available on the market. NECTRA estimates the operating costs of this technology to be 2 to 3 times lower than competing alternatives.
Thanks to its compact size, non-invasive technology, and ability to process eggs directly on the tray, the OVOSEX1 is an excellent solution for sexing brown layers before hatch. It also represents a cost-effective option for hatcheries looking to combine multiple sexing technologies for different purposes or at different ages, all at an affordable price.
Additionally, the OVOSEX1 machine is easy to integrate into other NECTRA automated processes, as illustrated in Picture 4
Additional NECTRA equipment
To enhance the OVOSEX1 user experience, NECTRA has developed two complementary devices:
• SMART (Patented egg refilling technology):
After sexing, male and non-viable eggs are removed, leaving trays partially filled. The SMART system combines two half-empty trays into one full tray in a single step, without rolling the eggs, thus preserving embryo viability as well as preveting shell cracks and bacteria cross contamination.
The SMART technology won two prestigious awards, a Silver Award at EuroTier 2021 Innovation Contest and the other one at SPACE 2022 Exhibition (France).
The SMART system could also be used during egg weighing processes in broiler hatcheries, where it preserves shell integrity by avoiding any rolling of the eggs on moving conveyors.
• Male egg disposal device:
A specialized system that collects and kills rejected male eggs without pain, while the shell remains intact enabling them to be reused in other industries or applications.
Looking ahead: future developments
NECTRA continues to invest in research and development. Upcoming innovations include in-ovo sexing at an earlier stage (within the first few days of incubation) for both brown and white layers and a fully automated feathersexing device for day-old chick stage, particularly aimed at the broiler industry.
Orbem has developed a groundbreaking solution to address one of the most significant ethical and economic challenges in the global poultry industry: the culling of day-old male chicks from layer breeds. Orbem’s technology provides a contactless, accurate, and scalable method for in-ovo sex determination, allowing hatcheries to operate more ethically and efficiently.
Orbem’s non-invasive in-ovo sexing technology
future-proofs hatcheries
The Genus Focus, our in-ovo sexing solution, combines two powerful technologies: Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) – Trusted for decades in human medicine for its safety and precision, MRI allows us to generate a high-resolution image of the interior of an egg. Critically, this process is completely contactless. It does not use radiation or require any penetration of the eggshell, meaning the embryo is not touched, stressed, or harmed in any way.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) – Our proprietary AI platform is the brain of the operation. It has been trained on a massive dataset of millions of MRI scans. The AI analyzes each new scan in real-time to detect subtle, sex-specific biological markers within the developing embryo. It can make a decision with exceptionally high accuracy in just one second. Because our AI learns from every scan that is made, our solution is uniquely equipped to get better and better over time - an exceptional feature we owe to the power of Machine Learning.
The fully automated process involves eggs moving on a conveyor belt through the Genus Focus scanner. After the one-second scan and AI analysis, the system automatically sorts the eggs. Male-identified eggs are removed from the incubation process immediately and can be repurposed.
Key benefits of Orbem’s technology
Orbem delivers a suite of compelling benefits that span ethics, economics, and animal performance.
1. Ethical integrity and animal welfare: The complete elimination of the need to cull male chicks allows hatcheries to comply with animal welfare legislation, such as Germany’s “Tierschutzgesetz” (Animal Welfare Act), and meet the growing consumer demand for ethically produced food.
2. Improved chick quality and performance: A crucial and powerful benefit reported by our partners is the enhanced quality of the female chicks that hatch. Because the Orbem process is stress-free, it avoids negatively impacting the embryo’s development. This results in hatched chicks that are more robust, healthier, and more vital. Consequently, our partners experience reduced mortality rates during the critical first weeks in the rearing houses, leading to better overall flock performance.
3. Data-driven insights: The Genus Focus system is also a data collection tool. It provides valuable data on fertility
rates and other quality metrics, giving hatchery managers unprecedented insight to optimize their breeding and incubation processes for better overall results. Our imaging solution allows us to collect a broad range of data points from the inside of an egg, allowing hatcheries to go beyond in-ovo sexing, and profit from early fertilization status detection or phenotyping as well.
4. Economic and operational efficiency: Our solution provides substantial operational advantages. By identifying and removing male eggs (around day 12 of incubation), hatcheries save significant resources on incubation space and downstream costs like vaccinations and manual sexing labor. The high-speed, automated system seamlessly integrates into existing hatchery workflows, increasing throughput and efficiency, future-proofing operations.
In summary, Orbem’s technology offers a comprehensive solution that aligns ethical responsibility with economic profitability. It empowers hatcheries to build a more sustainable, efficient, and humane future for poultry production.
www.orbem.ai
SELEGGT, THE STANDARD FOR ENDING CHICK CULLING
Each year, up to 7 billion male chicks worldwide are culled after hatching, as they are unsuitable for either egg or meat production. SELEGGT, which is owned by the Respeggt Group, aims to put an end to this practice by providing a sustainable and ethical solution through its innovative inovo sexing technology, which identifies the sex of hatching eggs from day 8 of incubation. This approach ensures more responsible and sustainable egg production while maintaining industry efficiency.
SELEGGT, an established leader in the in-ovo sexing of hatching eggs, owes its reputation to a unique and proven DNA-based technology renowned for its exceptional precision. Initially founded as a joint venture with the German retail group REWE, which supported its early development, SELEGGT is part of the HatchTech Group and is headquartered in the Netherlands. Its breakthrough technology enables hatcheries to end the needless male chick culling while producing over 20 million female chicks per year.
Market-leading performance
SELEGGT solutions lead the market in accuracy, female chick yield, and operational versatility. Their DNAbased in-ovo sexing technology sets the highest industry standards and is currently the most reliable and efficient method to truly know what’s inside the egg because DNA simply does not lie.
The DNA test has an accuracy exceeding 99%, reliably identifying the sex of the embryo. As a result, approximately 49% of the eggs entering the system are identified as female. Its broad operational window starting from day 8 of incubation, combined with a largely automated process, ensures both efficiency and planning flexibility. The system supports all genetics, working seamlessly with both white and brown layers, and is fully automated to optimize operational productivity.
The SELEGGT technology
SELEGGT’s core success lies in its technology. To fulfill its commitment to “Free of Chick Culling,” SELEGGT has invested significant time and resources in developing a groundbreaking in-ovo sexing method. This patented technology utilizes cutting-edge techniques to distinguish between male and female embryos before hatching. By accurately identifying and removing male eggs early in the process, it eliminates the need for culling, enabling a more humane and ethical approach to egg production. What sets SELEGGT apart from its competitors is its use of PCR testing and DNA analysis — currently the most
precise method available to determine the sex of a hatching egg. The relevant DNA markers are identified in a sample of allantoic fluid.
Global compatibility and ongoing innovation
Designed for worldwide compatibility, SELEGGT’s system integrates smoothly into hatcheries without requiring specialized infrastructure or adjustments. This flexibility makes it a scalable option for producers across various regions. To date, the technology has been adopted in countries including Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, and the United States.
Looking ahead, SELEGGT remains committed to continuous research and development, with the goal of becoming an integral part of automated hatchery operations. The company firmly believes that in-ovo sexing will increasingly merge with standard hatchery automation, as discarding half of the live-hatched animals is not a viable long-term practice. Today, in-ovo sexing equipment has already established its place within modern hatchery workflows. Beyond its ethical and environmental benefits, the technology also enhances operational efficiency – removing approximately 51% of the eggs midway through incubation frees up hatchery capacity and optimizes resource use.
Moreover, working exclusively with female chicks opens up
new possibilities for the layer industry, aligning sustainable practices with economic viability. SELEGGT’s approach exemplifies how innovation can drive both ethical progress and productivity in the poultry sector.
www.respeggt.com
CHINESE BROILER PRODUCTION REACHES RECORD HIGH AMID CHALLENGES
Chicken is the second most consumed meat in China, following pork, and accounts for approximately 20% of total meat consumption. It serves as a significant source of protein, though it is predominantly consumed fresh compared to other meats. The processing of chicken primarily focuses on whole chicken processing and sales, with limited availability of further processed products.
➤ Mainbayar Badarch, Market analyst
According to the Ministry of Agriculture of China, total broiler output reached a record high of 14.8 billion chickens in 2024. White-feather broilers accounted for 9.0 billion, reflecting a year-on-year increase of 2.2%. Yellowfeather broilers totaled 3.3 billion, representing a decline of 7.3%, while small white-feather broilers rose to 2.5 billion, marking an increase of 9.4%.
In terms of production volume, white-feather broilers continue to dominate the market, contributing 17.8 million
tons of chicken meat, which accounts for 72.2% of total output. In contrast, yellow-feather broilers produced 4.3 million tons, representing 17.5%, indicating a decline in market share compared to previous years.
This shift highlights the growing preference for whitefeather broilers, which are favored for their efficiency in large-scale industrial production. In contrast, the standardized production system for yellow-feathered broilers has lagged behind, encountering significant challenges such as high production costs and inconsistent performance.
White-feathered broiler chickens
Last year, the supply and demand for white-feathered broiler chickens were relatively balanced. However, chicken consumption growth was weak, leading to a decline in broiler chicken prices for two consecutive years. Most of the industry’s profits were concentrated in upstream breeding operations, while the slaughtering segment experienced losses.
Declining feed costs have alleviated profitability pressures.
According to Aige Agriculture, the purchase price of broiler chickens was 7.8CNY per kilogram in 2024, representing a 13% decrease from 2023. Broiler farming turned unprofitable, with an average loss of 1.3CNY per chicken.
The ex-factory price of chicken legs was 11.6CNY per kilogram, down 6% from 2023, while the ex-factory price of chicken breast was 8.6CNY per kilogram, a decline of 15% from the previous year. Additionally, the loss incurred from slaughtering a chicken was 0.08CNY.
In 2024, the prices for parent-generation breeder chicks and commercial-generation chicks were 57CNY per set and 3.26CNY per bird, respectively, reflecting a year-onyear decrease of 24% for parent-generation chicks and an increase of 5% for commercial-generation chicks. Farming
parent-generation breeder chickens proved to be more profitable.
Leading companies consistently enhance their competitiveness
In 2024, the cost of raising white-feathered and yellowfeathered broilers decreased by 10% and 5.1%, respectively, compared to 2023. The decline in feed prices and the increase in chick prices are the two most significant factors affecting broiler farming costs. Recently, ten major
■ Table 1 – Chicken imports (source: General Administration of Customs, China)
■ Table 2 – Chicken exports (source: General Administration of Customs, China)
Hefeng Animal Husbandry
poultry companies reported their net profits for 2024. Their performance has improved markedly compared to 2023, with only one company incurring losses while the others all achieved profitability. The largest profit was reported by Wen’s Foodstuffs’ chicken division, amounting to CNY2.2 billion (US$306.8 million).
China’s large-scale white-feather broiler enterprises plan to invest over CNY30 billion within the next three years. This investment will primarily focus on full-industry chain projects that integrate breeding, slaughtering, and deep processing, with additional emphasis on the breeding chicken sub-sector. In 2024, investment in the whitefeathered broiler chicken industry exceeded CNY10 billion.
Ongoing projects are progressing, with planned investments in slaughtering capacity exceeding 1 billion chickens. The proportion of investment in deep processing is expected to rise to 35%, and high-end manufacturing initiatives, such as specialized production lines for preprepared meals, will emerge. Additionally, domestic substitution at the genetics source level will accelerate, and the research and development investments of the three major breeding companies will continue to rise, with the number of grandparent chickens in production surpassing 1.3 million sets. From the perspective of investment entities, funding in the whitefeathered broiler industry is mainly concentrated among leading companies.
Shengnong Development
Shengnong Development’s tenth food factory commenced production in July 2024, increasing its annual deep food processing capacity by 60,000 tons. In December 2024, the company successfully acquired 100% of the shares of Sun Valley. It is estimated that the slaughtering capacity has reached approximately 800 million chickens, with a target of achieving 1 billion chickens by 2025.
The broiler business of Hefeng is primarily situated in the northern provinces of Henan, Hebei, and Shandong. The overall production and sales scale of the broiler slaughtering and processing division continues to grow. With the successful establishment of three new modern facilities, including Hebei Taihang, the company’s total annual slaughtering capacity – under its control and investment – exceeds 1.1 billion chickens. In 2024, the total number of poultry slaughtered by the company surpassed 1 billion.
Shuanghui
Shuanghui has expanded its broiler breeding and slaughtering capacity. The company continues to strengthen the synergistic advantages of its industrial chain while promoting diversified development within the meat industry. With the gradual commissioning of new poultry industry projects, including Xihua, Fuxin Zhangwu, and Luohe Second Industrial Park, the annual broiler production capacity is projected to reach 300 million.
Wens Foodstuff
Wens Foodstuff, the largest yellow-feathered broiler breeding enterprise, has expanded into the white-feathered Year
broiler market. The company’s investment in Guannan’s 100 million broiler chicken full industry chain project is progressing rapidly.
Also, Fengsheng Group, Chengda Food, Xixiang, Zhonghe Food, Xinhesheng, Xiantan, Daxiang, and other local leading enterprises continue to expand and increase their market share. Additionally, Yisheng, Zhongxin Food, Shandong Dingli, and Minhe have deployed breeder chickens and invested in chick production capacity exceeding 200 million.
In terms of investment regions, the majority of whitefeathered broiler investment projects are concentrated in the northern region, which includes Liaoning, Shandong, Henan, Inner Mongolia, Jilin, and Heilongjiang. In contrast, there are fewer investment projects in the southern region, such as Shengnong’s projects in Fujian, Wen’s projects in Jiangsu, Chengda’s projects in Hubei, and Xixiang’s projects in Anhui.
It is projected that the new capacity for slaughtering white-feathered broiler chickens will surpass 1 billion by 2024-2025. The white-feathered broiler chicken industry is confronted with the challenge of overcapacity, and companies that possess advantages in branding, distribution channels, management, and scale will be more competitive. The trend of mergers and reorganizations among large enterprises has intensified, leading to an increase in industry concentration.
Declining imports and rising exports
According to the General Administration of Customs, China’s total chicken imports reached 976,900 tons in 2024, representing a year-on-year decrease of 27.5%.
This is the first time the volume has dropped below 1 million tons since 2020, and imports have declined for five consecutive years. The primary factors contributing to this decline include growth in domestic production, stagnant consumption, and currency pressures, particularly the depreciation of the Chinese yuan against the US dollar. In 2024, China’s total chicken exports reached 770,300 tons, representing a year-on-year increase of 39%. The exports were distributed across 96 countries and regions. Japan (185,400 tons) and Hong Kong (182,300 tons) accounted for 24.1% and 23.7% of the total exports, respectively.
Key challenges and priorities
China’s ongoing dependence on imported genetic stock for white-feather broilers continues to be a strategic concern. Imports of grandparent stock reached 1.5 million sets, reflecting a 17.3% increase from 2023. Despite
Major companies & capacities
Company
Hefeng
Annual slaughter capacity
1.1 billion birds
Shengnong 800 million birds (target: 1 billion in 2025)
Shuanghui 300 million birds (projected)
Wens Foodstuff
Strong in yellow-feather broilers; expanding into whitefeather chain (100M bird project)
advancements in domestic breeding, reliance on foreign genetics remains significant. Currently, the country’s three domestic white-feather broiler breeds – Shengze 901, Guangming 2, and Wode 188 – account for only 28% of the market, leaving the industry 72% dependent on foreign sources. The report warns that China has not yet achieved a level of self-sufficiency that would protect against potential disruptions in imports. To ensure stability, industry experts advocate for the expansion of domestic breeding programs, the improvement of marketing strategies, and the leveraging of global trade opportunities. Xin Xiangfei, a researcher at the Institute of Agricultural Economics and Development, the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences and an expert in industrial economics at the National Broiler Industry Technology System, said that China’s broiler industry has five major problems:
- insufficient market consumption
- high dependence on foreign genetic sources
- increased pressure on disease prevention and control
- a disaster prevention, mitigation, and relief system in need of improvement
- the construction of a modern production system that needs to be accelerated.
In response to the aforementioned challenges, Xin Xiangfei advised that China should prioritize upgrading of domestic broiler varieties while promoting their application. In addition, he recommended expanding the pilot areas for subsidies related to domestic whitefeathered broiler varieties and increasing the subsidy amounts to increase the market share of these domestic varieties. Finally, he proposed enhancing scientific and technological innovation to conserve grain, reduce consumption, lower costs, and increase efficiency and implementing a “going overseas” development strategy to expand the international opportunities.
Overall, the supply of chicken exceeds demand in China. The domestic development trend of the chicken industry exhibits diverse characteristics, including large-scale breeding, intensive land use, standardized slaughtering, and brand management. Accordingly, the industry should make concerted efforts to further develop sustainable and modern production systems.
Broiler production in China (2024)
• Total chickens slaughtered: 14.8 billion
White-feather broilers: 9.0 billion (+2.2%)
Yellow-feather broilers: 3.3 billion (−7.3%)
Small white-feather broilers: 2.5 billion (+9.4%)
• Chicken meat production: White-feather: 17.8 million tons (72.2%)
Yellow-feather: 4.3 million tons (17.5%)
BETTER FOR BIRDS, THE EARTH, AND YOU: KIPSTER’S EGG
In the United States, as of March 2024, 40% of eggs produced are cagefree. While the cage-free movement has gained momentum worldwide, one company goes beyond the baseline standard of cage-free and takes a unique approach to maximize the benefits of its system. Kipster is on a mission to revolutionize food production by prioritizing ethics and sustainability, ensuring a healthier planet for future generations. The result is better for the birds, the earth, and you.
➤ Compassion in World Farming is the world’s leading farm animal welfare organisation campaigning to stop farm animal suffering
Most hens that lay eggs for human consumption in the United States are raised in a conventional system where laying hens are confined to battery cages. A myriad of welfare issues result from conventional battery cages: they restrict the space available to hens, and deprive them of essential environmental features, such as perches, nesting areas, and solid ground with earth and vegetation for foraging - crucial for their natural behaviors. Companies and consumers have become increasingly aware of alternative production systems for laying hens raised for their eggs and are demanding more cage-free, free-range, and pasture-raised housing. Many companies have set goals to eliminate caged eggs from their supply chains. Because
of this, U.S. egg producers have a unique opportunity to meet this increased demand.
Kipster has taken an alternative approach to raising hens: one that prioritizes animal welfare standards, enhances farmer well-being, benefits the environment, and improves the overall production cycle.
About Kipster
Kipster opened their first operation in the Netherlands in 2017 and then expanded into the United States in 2022. Kipster’s co-founders sought to find a way to feed the world’s population in an honest way, not passing any cost to future generations. MPS Egg Farms, the exclusive producer of Kipster eggs in the United States, operates seven farms across the United States that raise more than 14 million
hens. Kipster, operated by MPS, is in Indiana. The Kipster farm has three hen houses, with each housing 24,000 birds. The retailer Kroger Co. brings the unique egg to market in collaboration with Kipster and MPS Egg Farms. Sam
Krouse, the CEO of MPS Egg Farms, shared about the value of the Kipster brand: “If consumers value animal welfare, animals expressing natural behaviors, and chickens living more like they do in the jungle, there are models for that. I think Kipster is the greatest example of that.” By expanding its model into the United States, Kipster sets a new higher standard for animal welfare in the United States with its attention to the true nature of hens raised for their eggs.
Animal welfare at Kipster
Kipster has built its business around meeting the implicit nature of birds. Their innovative facilities were designed in collaboration with leading scientists and animal welfare organizations to suit a hen’s inherent needs as a forest bird. Each farm is set up for the hens to carry out as many natural behaviors as possible. Key differentiators of the Kipster farm include both an indoor and outdoor garden with regular outdoor access pending bird flu risks, dust baths, and perches, which allow the birds to explore and play in their environment.
Kipster’s indoor garden includes perches, tree trunks, deep
bedding, and large windows to allow natural light inside to benefit the birds.
Kipster uses the DeKalb White breed and does not beak trim (debeak) the birds, which is a mutilating practice performed without any pain control as an industry norm. Beak trimming is meant to limit aggression and pecking by blunting a bird’s beak, removing approximately one-third of the beak. Instead of beak trimming the birds, Kipster prioritizes an enriched environment with pecking stones, hay bales, and scattered feed to keep the birds active and foraging. Kipster also allows ample space indoors and outside, so the birds have room to run, flap their wings, and explore their environments. Each bird in the Kipster house has 1.61 square feet of space, and the outdoor access areas provide an additional 0.98 square feet per bird. Comparatively, one battery cage can be used to house laying hens of up to 10 birds, fully enclosing the birds in a wire mesh, barren environment. In a battery cage, the average space allowance per bird is approximately 67 square inches, less than 0.5 square feet per bird, and slightly less than a letter-size sheet of paper. To verify its practices, Kipster eggs in the United States are certified by the third-party program, Certified Humane. Ruud Zanders, the Co-Founder of Kipster, shares his farming philosophy, reflecting on a pivotal realization: “I lived all my life between livestock, but then I was shocked when I learned about intelligent emotion and feelings from animals. As a food farmer, I didn’t know so much about the animals themselves, but how I can keep and treat them, to keep them healthy, that they have enough eggs, but not too much feed. But now I know. That’s why we try our utmost to give them the best life; we approach that natural way as much as possible. Realizing that truly animal-friendly animal husbandry in a commercial manner is very difficult, if not impossible. You always make concessions.”
Caged hen farms contribute to many of the largest agricultural sustainability and animal welfare issues. Kipster is paving a path that offers big solutions, leading the way for alternative models in the U.S. egg marketplace. By prioritizing sustainability, animal welfare, and farmer wellbeing, Kipster offers solutions to many of the industry’s main challenges of battery cages for hens, poor farmer wellbeing, and waste. Kipster also offers a unique focus on transparency through its in-person visitor center and YouTube livestreams from the farm. Kipster posts about the daily lives of their birds on social media – both the good and the bad – so consumers can learn about the living sentient beings behind the eggs they buy. Compassion in World Farming has recognized Kipster’s leading animal welfare standards by awarding its U.S. farm the Good Egg Award in 2024, following the same recognition for its Netherlands location in 2018—making
it the only egg producer in the United States to receive the award that year.
Sustainability
Kipster also believes hens can play a crucial role in combating the significant food waste problem in the U.S. Up to 40% of human-grade food is wasted in the United States each year. While the priority is reducing waste, Kipster’s hens offer another solution by transforming waste that people do not want to or cannot eat, into eggs and meat. Kipster’s feed uses food waste and by-products from crop processing and food manufacturing from wheat, corn, and soy, thus combating waste and reducing the land required to raise animals.
Kipster is also prioritizing lower greenhouse gas emissions by measuring, reducing, and emitting as little as possible through their innovative laying hen facilities. Kipster’s novel feed blend has a footprint that is about half of conventional feed for laying hens. This number is significant because feed is responsible for around 70% of the greenhouse gas emissions of an egg. Kipster also uses solar panels on top of the barns to help power the farm and utilizes carbon credits to offset the remaining footprint of the egg. In the U.S., Kipster eggs are certified as CarbonNeutral® by Climate Impact Partners.
A unique aspect of Kipster’s model is its approach to managing particulate matter – such as dust, odor, ammonia, and other undesirable particles – produced by laying hen operations. Kipster is the first farm in the United States to
Kipster at a glance
Flock size
Usable space per hen
Floor space per hen
24,000 hens per house, divided up in 4 sections of 6,000 birds each. Total of 3 hen houses
Total living area for the birds without outdoor area is 1.61 sq. ft. per bird. Outdoor area is an additional 0.98 sq. ft. per bird. This is per hen house
1.16 square foot per bird indoors. Outdoor floor space is additional 0.98 sq. ft per bird
Aviary model Big Dutchman Aviary System
Number of tiers in aviary & distribution of resources
0.5 ft per hen in aviary (not including perches as part of enrichments in indoor and outdoor gardens)
Enrichments are peck blocks, fake trees and branches to perch, perches in the aviary system, alfalfa and straw haybales, litter on ground to dust bath (the whole indoor space is covered in litter), feed pellets spread on the indoor garden’s floor
Big Dutchman Aviary System
Average eggs per hen On average, 322 eggs per hen in 2023. From 2023 impact report: 23,882,160 eggs from an average of 74,123 hens7
Average age of hens at slaughter 90 weeks when they are killed to make space for new hens
wash the air leaving its barns, recovering heat with a heat pump to preheat incoming fresh air, and – together with an innovative ventilation system – significantly reducing emissions while improving the indoor climate for both farmers and birds.
Reducing reliance on animals
Beyond its high standards for animal welfare and sustainability, Kipster envisions a better model for farming with fewer animals. The team is committed to creating a world with reduced reliance on animal products, believing that truly responsible agriculture means ultimately moving away from using animals altogether. Kipster has defined using farm animals only under certain strict conditions:
1. Sustainable: Farm animals ought to be an asset to a sustainable system, not a burden.
2. Natural behaviors: Humans are obligated to honor the feelings and natural behaviors of farm animals by ensuring these animals can have fulfilling lives, as much as possible in a farm setting.
3. Producing food: The rivalry between humans and farm animals over food resources should never occur. Crop cultivation should focus on producing food for humans, not for animals.
Farmer well-being
Kipster’s system is designed to offer a more fulfilling environment for the birds, and a better working environment for the farmers. The Farm Manager at Kipster USA, Shania Ray, shared her perspective: “I have always been really focused on animals. I like the heightened animal welfare at Kipster and that the chickens can display their natural behaviors. The space the birds are allowed gives them an opportunity for dustbathing or climbing on trees and logs. They can pick at straw and alfalfa bales. They forage on the ground after we spread feed in the indoor garden. Simply put – they get to be themselves. With the
chickens being able to do so much more, I interact with my employees even more to discuss what they are seeing in the houses. They walk every day for routine checks, and they notice the chickens doing different things. It helps them get more excited about their job too.”
CIWF’s recommendations
The Kipster model is a great alternative to conventional caged systems, but even to indoor-only cage- free models that may limit certain aspects of laying hen welfare. By prioritizing hen welfare, farmer well-being, and carbon-neutral egg production, Kipster is a model that benefits animals, people, and the planet. Compassion in World Farming applauds Kipster’s work.
CIWF would like to see continued growth of Kipster’s model in the U.S. and new retail partnerships nationwide, so the public has greater access to Kipster eggs.
Unlike most U.S. egg producers, Kipster previously raised both male and female chicks, with the first few flocks of male chicks in the U.S. being grown as roosters for meat. However, there is a lack of suitable infrastructure to process the meat into products for the market. Kipster is continuing to work to find solutions for this.
References
U.S. Department of Agriculture. Economic Research Service.
Canada occupies a unique position among egg-producing countries because, since the 1970s, it has adopted a management system that ensures the supply of high-quality food to its population while guaranteeing positive operating results for all farms and companies involved in the supply chain. Despite criticism of the system, particularly from the United States, Canada has maintained it. The aim of this article is to introduce the supply management system and to demonstrate its application using the development of egg production between 2019 and 2023 as an example.
➤
Hans-Wilhelm Windhorst Professor Emeritus at the University of Vechta, Germany
Supply management - what is it?
Supply management was introduced in the 1970s. It controls the quantity and price of a range of food products. It was prompted by the volatility of milk prices in the 1960s, which caused major economic problems for dairy farmers. They approached the government and asked it to take steps to regulate production levels, market prices and imports in a way that would allow profitable production. After weighing up the pros and cons, the legal basis for the system was created in 1972 in the Agricultural Products Agencies Act. The federal government’s Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada oversees the Canadian Dairy Commission and the Farm Products Council of Canada. The latter is responsible for eggs, chicken and turkey meat. The national marketing board Egg Farmers of Canada was established in 1972, and similar boards for chicken and turkey meat and hatching eggs were established in subsequent years. The aim of the supply management system is to ensure the quality and safety of the products produced and to ensure a positive operating result for all elements involved in the supply
chain (Muirhead 2016). Soon after its introduction, the system was criticised for making it difficult for foreign producers to enter the market. As the production quotas allocated to farms ensured a full supply, imports were not necessary. Complaints to the OECD against the system were unsuccessful, as was President Trump’s attempt to exclude it from NAFTA renegotiations during his first term. Even in the new agreement (USMCA), Canada retains the right to apply the supply management system. In 2024, 1,270 laying hen farms were connected to the system.
Number of laying hens and egg production continue to rise
The number of laying hens in Canada increased from 33.5 million to 35.6 million, or by 6.2%, between 2019 and 2023. At the same time, egg production increased by 7.5% (Table 1). The higher rate of growth in egg production was a result of improved average laying performance of hens. The relative increase between 2021 and 2022 was higher than in the other years. This reflects the increased demand for eggs during the Covid-19 pandemic. Eating out decreased because restaurants were closed, and home cooking increased.
■ Table 1 – The development of the laying hen inventory and of egg production in Canada between 2019 and 2023 (source: Statistics Canada)
■ Table 2 – Share of the provinces in Canada’s population (2023), in the number of egg farms and the average flock size of egg farms (2024) (source: Statistics of Canada; Egg Farmers of Canada, Annual Report 2024) Province
Br.
Manitoba
Saskatchewan
Nova
New Brunswick
Pr. Edw. Island
Newfoundland*
NW Territories
* and Labrador
** sum does not add because of rounding
Large
differences in average flock sizes
Table 2 shows that the number of farms connected to the supply management system is very unevenly distributed across the individual provinces. The spatial pattern reflects the population size, population density and location in relation to urban agglomerations, as well as the availability of raw materials for feed production.
The differences in average flock sizes are striking. Farms in Newfoundland and Labrador and the Northwest Territories have the highest values, followed by farms in Nova Scotia
and New Brunswick, which are located on the outskirts of urban areas. Here, too, farm sizes are well above the national average. In terms of production, they are geared to supplying the population of the province and the major cities of Quebec, including Montreal. The central provinces of Manitoba and Saskatchewan have the smallest farm sizes. The provinces of Alberta and British Columbia are more balanced in terms of population and egg-producing farms. Alberta's farm size is similar to that of the eastern plains, while British Columbia's is slightly above the national average.
Figure 1 compares the provincial shares of the number of eggproducing farms and laying hen flocks. Ontario and Quebec accounted for 51.4% of the farms and 58.5% of the flocks in 2023. In contrast, the three Atlantic provinces of Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Newfoundland and Labrador accounted for only 3.7% of the farms but 6.6% of the laying hens, a consequence of their larger laying hen flocks.
▲ Figure 1 – The share of the Canadian provinces in the number of layer farms and in the laying hen inventory (2023) (design: A.S. Kauer based on Egg Farmers of Canada, Annual Report 2023)
▲ Figure 2 – The share of the Canadian provinces in the limits to the federal production quotas and in egg production (2023) (design: A.S. Kauer based on Egg Farmers of Canada, Annual Report 2023)
Production quotas and egg production
The Farm Products Council of Canada sets the permissible production quotas for the provinces for the following year. The provinces then allocate the quotas to individual farms. The price the farmer receives for each egg delivered is based on the allocated production quota. If the quota is exceeded, the extra eggs must be sold at the prevailing market price. This is usually unattractive, so farmers try not to exceed their quota. However, if there is a shortage in the market supply, e.g. due to an outbreak of avian influenza, it may be attractive to supply eggs to the world market. Table 3 shows that six provinces exceeded their allocated quota, while the others produced less than allowed. In terms of quantity, farmers in Ontario exceeded their quota by 687 million eggs. The highest relative overrun was in New Brunswick at 138.8%. The provincial share of the permitted production quota and egg production is shown
in Figure 2. These quotas can be exceeded if special market situations make this necessary. For example, the massive outbreaks of avian influenza in 2023 led to supply shortages. By October 2023, the highly pathogenic virus had appeared on 319 farms. A total of 7.8 million birds fell victim to the disease or were culled as a precautionary measure. Farms were able to use the additional quota of 480 million eggs allowed for such situations. In addition, eggs and egg products were imported from the USA to ensure supply to the population.
Challenges and perspectives
In addition to the ongoing threat of the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus to laying hen flocks, the Canadian egg industry faces other challenges. These include changes in the way laying hens are reared and demands for more sustainable production, as well as continued criticism of the supply management system. The Canadian layer sector is in the process of changing its housing systems. Table 4 shows that between 2019 and 2024 conventional cage housing sharply declined and only 43.3% of hens were still housed in such systems. Small aviaries1 had a share of 36.9%. However, this means that 80.2% will still be kept in these controversial housing systems. Floor housing (free-run system), which is dominant in the EU, is less important in Canada with 13.5%. The same applies to the free-range system, which is unlikely to increase in the future due to the threat of the introduction of the avian influenza virus via wild birds. Organic farming is stable at around 4.8-5.2%.
■ Table 3 – Permissible quota, egg production and quota utilisation in Canada’s provinces in 2023 (source: Egg Farmers of Canada; Annual Report 2023) * and Labrador
The first outbreak of the highly pathogenic avian influenza occurred in Nova Scotia in January 2002. In the following months, laying hen flocks were infected in all provinces. Massive losses were recorded in British Columbia, Alberta and Manitoba. In the following years, the highest losses occurred mainly in British Columbia and the Prairie Provinces. It is noteworthy that only a few further outbreaks occurred in the Atlantic provinces.
1 They are also called “enriched colony” because of their size (they hold up to 20 hens), and the hens can perch and lay their eggs in a separated nesting area.
■ Table 4 –
■ Table 5 – Avian influenza outbreaks and animal losses in Canada between January 2022 and March 2025 (source: Canadian Food Inspection Agency)
The cyclical nature of the outbreaks is also evident (Figure 3). There is a parallel with AI infections in the USA (Windhorst 2023, 2024).
The high economic losses in 2022, 2023 and at the end of 2024 have fueled the debate on preventive vaccination against the virus. Because Canada is not a major exporter of poultry meat, unlike the US, vaccination could be more easily implemented. In the USA, preventive vaccination has so far failed due to opposition from leading slaughterhouses, as it could lead to a massive drop in exports.
There is a close correlation between the flyways of migratory wild birds and infections in poultry flocks. The Pacific flyway has been particularly frequented in recent years (Table 5).
Another challenge is adapting the supply management system to population growth. Between 2019 and 2023, the population rose from 37.2 million to 38.8 million. A further increase to 39.6 million is forecast by 2025. The population is growing by around 400,000 people per year. Of this, 140,000 is due to natural population growth and 260,000 to immigration. Demand is therefore increasing by around 100 million eggs per year. It could increase even further if per capita consumption were to increase further. This development must be taken into account by adjusting the production quota and its distribution among the individual provinces. An annual increase of 335,000 hens with an average laying rate of 298 eggs per hen per year will be necessary. Table 6 shows the
▲ Figure 3 – Avian influenza outbreaks in Canadian layer farms and animal losses between January 2022 and March 2025 (design: A.S. Kauer based on Egg Farmers of Canada, Annual Report 2023)
■ Table 6 – Changes in the limits to the federal quota between 2023 and 2025; data in million eggs (source: Egg Farmers of Canada, Annual Reports 2023 und 2024; RRI Canada)
Province 2023 2024 2025 Increase (%)
Ontario
Quebec
Pr. Edw. Island NW
* and Labrador
changed quota allocation for 2024 and 2025 compared to 2023. The quota allowed in 2025 will increase by 1.67 billion eggs, or 17.6%, compared to 2023 to meet the expected market demand. Ontario and Quebec will account for half of this increase. The relative change across provinces will vary considerably. The highest growth rate is estimated for Alberta at 22.5% and the lowest for Newfoundland and Labrador at 4.5%.
Egg Farmers of Canada launched an initiative in 2024 to help improve the conditions in which laying hens are kept by amending the Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Pullets and Laying Hens to reflect new scientific knowledge. It also aims to reduce the environmental impact of laying hen production and achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050.
A step to protect the supply management system through legislation that would prohibit the government from entering into trade agreements that allow an increase in the tariff rate quota for egg imports or reduce tariffs on eggs imported in excess of the current tariff rate quota was taken in 2022. The bill was introduced in the House of Commons in June 2022 and passed
in June 2023. The Senate has debated the bill but has not yet taken a decision. Passage of the bill would be significant not only for the poultry industry, but also for dairy farmers and milk production. Critics, however, argue that such market fragmentation may not be in the best interests of consumers because it would reduce or even eliminate competition. Overall, however, about 90% of Canadians support the supply management system because it ensures high-quality domestic products and stable market prices.
Data sources and supplementary literature
Canadian Food Inspection Agency: Status of ongoing avian influenza response by province. https:// inspection.canada.ca/en/animal-health/terrestrialanimals/diseases/reportable/avian-influenza/latestbird-flu-situation/status-ongoing-response. (Accessed: July 30th 2025)
Muirhead, B.: Under Siege: Supply Management as Threatened Paradigm. Ottawa 2016. www.nfu.ca/sites/www. nfu.ca/files/Muirhead.pdf. (Accessed: 30. 3. 2025).
Statistics Canada: Production and Disposition of Eggs, Annual. https://www150.statcan.gc.ca/t1/tbl1/en/ tv.action?pid=321001190. (Accessed: 25. 5. 2025).
The Regulatory Research Institute of Canada (RRI) (Ed.): Egg Market Gets New 2025 Federal Limits. https://rricanada. org/2025/01/16/egg-market-gets-new-2025-federal-limits. (Accessed: 27. 3. 2025).
Wikipedia: Dairy and Poultry Supply Management in Canada. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dairy_and_poultry_ supply_management_in_Canada.(Accessed: 25. 3. 2025).
Windhorst, H.-W.: Two waves, different routes and changing dynamics. The Avian Influenza outbreaks in the USA in 2022. In: Poultry World 39 (2023), no. 2, p. 8-11.
Windhorst, H.-W.: Third Avian Influenza outbreak in the USA within 10 years: the 2023-2024 epidemic. In: Zootecnica International 46 (2024), no. 9, p. 28-33.
KEEPING THE HATCHERY
CLEAN
AND DISINFECTED
The main goal of any hatchery is to produce a maximum number of healthy, uniform day-old chicks, poults or ducklings. Poor hatchery hygiene will lead to increased early embryonic mortality, lower hatchability and more secondgrade birds. It is therefore business-critical that hatchery sanitation is taken seriously. This article summarizes stepby-step guidelines on how to effectively clean and disinfect hatchery rooms, incubators and equipment.
➤
Rui
Barros, Global Incubation Consultant, Petersime NV
A hatchery’s biosecurity procedure includes all measures to prevent pathogens from entering the hatchery and reduce the spread of pathogens inside the hatchery. Cleaning and disinfection are an important aspect of proper hatchery biosecurity. Each hatchery room and all hatchery equipment should be properly cleaned and disinfected after each use. Single-stage incubators (‘all-in all-out’) in particular have an important advantage as they allow for frequent quick and thorough cleaning, whereas multistage incubators are never empty, so they cannot be easily sanitized without interrupting the incubation process.
The seven-step approach to cleaning and disinfecting
Cleaning and disinfection are two separate and distinct procedures in the hatchery sanitation process:
➔ Cleaning helps increase the effectiveness of sanitation efforts by removing all debris at a visible surface level. The debris can be a breeding ground for bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms. Therefore, cleaning must always be done first.
➔ After ensuring all debris is removed from the room, incubators and equipment, disinfection can be done. Disinfection is what actually eliminates the bacteria, fungi and other microorganisms that may be present in the room and on the machinery.
The two procedures can be performed in sequence or with some time in between, but should always be done in that specific order.
Cleaning
There are four steps in the cleaning protocol that are key to its success.
Step 1
The first step is dry cleaning: Remove all debris from the room, incubators and equipment. It is very important that all surfaces are free from debris. Tools such as brooms, clothes and scrapers are used during this step.
Step 2
After having prepared the surfaces, wet cleaning takes place. Wet cleaning involves applying water with detergent to all surfaces. It is advised to use detergent as it will dissolve impurities and dirt more easily. Why? Cleaning with water and detergent creates foam. The foam formulation will cling to ceilings and vertical surfaces, which is necessary as it actuates the detergent. Foam also makes it visually easier to differentiate soaked and non-soaked surfaces.
Important:
➔ Use the correct dosage and procedure. If there is too much water or too much pressure, the detergent will splash and not adhere to the surfaces, and therefore lose its effectiveness. If there is too much detergent, the cleaning cost will go up without changing the effectiveness. Using too much detergent also affects waste water treatment.
➔ Each detergent requires a specific contact time. Contact time − or ‘wet time’− is how long a detergent must stay on a surface in order to be effective. This time is usually around 20 minutes, but always make sure to check the supplier’s instructions.
Step 3
After this, all surfaces are ready for a thorough rinse with pressure water. Start with the surfaces that are highest up –e.g. ceilings in setters and hatchers – and work down.
Step 4
Remove all remaining water and double-check if all surfaces are thoroughly cleaned. If not, repeat the cleaning protocol steps until all surfaces are perfectly clean.
Caution
Always check the user manual of the incubators in your hatchery. Certain setters and hatchers have vulnerable probes and sensors that may require protective covers during cleaning. In Petersime incubators, all probes and sensors are ready to be cleaned straight away.
Disinfection
There are different types of disinfectants available on the market. It is important to match the product to the hatchery environment. If you have to disinfect air ducts, it will be easier to use a gaseous disinfectant. When disinfecting rooms or incubators, a liquid disinfectant will be the best choice.
The disinfection protocol involves three steps.
Step 5
Make sure all cleaned surfaces are dry before applying a disinfectant, since excess water can dilute the disinfectant and affect its performance.
Step 6
Apply the disinfectant as recommended by the supplier. Each product has its own mode of action and requires the correct dosage and contact time.
Step 7
After disinfecting, keep the area sealed to avoid contamination (e.g. by keeping the doors closed).
Conclusion
★ A good sanitation programme is the cornerstone to preventing pathogens from spreading inside the hatchery.
Cleaning and disinfection protocols are essential to safeguard hatchery biosecurity and produce the highest quality birds. It is the hatchery manager’s responsibility to develop these protocols and schedules for all parts of the hatchery and to take the following important considerations
➔ Train staff properly: Hatchery operators must understand the importance of the sanitation work and its impact on the end product’s quality, know the protocols and the different cleaning and disinfection products.
➔ Make sure to provide all resources necessary for the staff’s personal safety: protective clothing, goggles and/ or masks to protect against skin contact, eye contact and inhalation.
➔ Using pressurized hot water is recommended, but be aware that pressure water can potentially affect machine components. Make sure your equipment can take cleaning with high-pressure equipment.
➔ Ensure that your choices of detergent and disinfectant used in automated washing machines (e.g. for washing trays and baskets) are appropriate and effective.
➔ Make sure to collect debris (e.g. eggshells) in buckets to avoid it goes into the drainage system, possibly clogging the drains.
➔ Assess the efficacy of cleaning and disinfection by monitoring the microbial status of the hatchery.
Petersime is happy to help you in learning more about how to run a hatchery with high-level hygiene. The topic is covered in the Hatchery Management Training. Please don’t hesitate to contact us for more information.
PARTIAL HOUSE BROODING DESIGN AND MANAGEMENT FOR BROILER BREEDERS MANAGEMENT
The importance of the brooding period cannot be overemphasized. The first 14 days of a chick’s life set the precedent for good performance. Extra effort during the brooding phase will be rewarded in the final flock performance. The goal of the brooding chamber design and management is to increase the size of the brooding area as quickly as possible, while maintaining the correct house temperature. Here are some key points from pre-placement to turn out that will help get chicks off to a good start.
➤ Cobb Technical Services Team
Pre-placement equipment checks
The key to successful rearing lies in an effective management program starting with chick placement. Prior to chick
placement, the equipment and facilities must be prepared to receive the chicks. Check all equipment at least 48 hours prior to chick placement. Activate heaters and ensure the environment and temperatures are optimized for chicks.
Minimum ventilation Activate as soon as pre-heating begins to remove waste gases and excess moisture. Ensure the house is well sealed. Check that CO2 levels are below 3,000 ppm. Use stir fans to help distribute heat and gain uniform floor/ air temperatures. Turn on fans when the heaters are started.
Ambient temperature
Temperature sensation is affected by temperature transfer and relative humidity of the air. If air is dry with low RH % transfer is low and higher dry bulb temperatures should be used as illustrated in the table to the right. Temperature at placement should be between 30 and 32 °C (86.0 and 90°F) depending on relative humidity.
Heaters Verify that all heaters are installed at the recommended height and are operating at maximum output.
Floor temperature
Drinkers
Feeders
Preheating should begin at least 48 hours before chick placement. Concrete temperature (below litter) should be 28 to 30 °C (82.0 and 86.0°F) and never exceed 32 °C. Floor temperatures should be 86 to 90 °F (86.0 to 90°F) at least 1 M (3 ft) from the center of the radiant heater or brooder stove. Above 32 °C (90 °F ) feed intake decreases, and at 35 °C (95 °F) stops altogether. The temperature differences between the front and back of the brooding area at chick level should not exceed 0.20 °C (0.36°F). Chicks from smaller eggs (younger breeder flocks) require higher brooding temperatures because they produce less metabolic heat.
For partial house brooding, allow 40 chicks per nipple. When the house is fully opened, allow 8 to 10 birds per nipple. Ensure that nipple drinkers are at the chicks’ eye level at reception. Adjust lines after 2 days so the chicks’ necks are slightly stretched to drink. If needed, supply 1 supplementary drinker (3.8 l) per 100 chicks. Supplemental drinkers should be placed slightly higher than the litter to maintain water quality but not out of reach and placed close to the primary water source. Sanitize water lines between flocks. Flush and activate nipples prior to placement.
Feeders should be adjusted for chick height. Initially, feeders (pan and chain) should be at ground level so the chicks can easily access them. Calibrate the scales used to weigh the feed prior to the flock placement. Accurate weighing of feed is critical to prevent over or under feeding the flock. Ensure feed pans are on the correct setting.
Brooder preparations
Brood chamber design
Brooder guards (paper, metal or wire partitions) should be carefully positioned to prevent chick entrapment and injury. Ideally, litter should be used to “seal” or fully cover the bottom of the brooder guard and stable partitions should be used to ensure the divider remains vertical. Keep lights on in the brood area to encourage chick activity, eating and drinking. Keep the lights off in the rest of the house.
Lighting
The intensity and distribution of light alters bird activity. Correct stimulation of activity with lighting during the first 5 to 7 days of age is necessary for optimal feed consumption, digestive and immune system development and good welfare. Light intensity should be 60 to 100 lux directly below the light and measured at chick height to enhance chick activity and encourage good early feed and water intake. Concentrating light around the nipple line will attract the chicks and improve early water and feed intake as they learn from each other. The darkest area in the brooder should not be below 30 lux.
Litter
Provide good, dry litter with ample depth (10 to 15 cm; 4 to 6 inch minimum) that is level across entire brood chamber. It is important that the litter material provide a soft, dry surface that conducts radiant heat. Level the bedding by raking and compressing firmly. Uneven litter creates uneven floor temperatures, causing groups of chicks to huddle in pockets or under equipment. Uneven litter can also result in unintended restricted access to feed and water at this critical time of development.
Supplementary feeders
Supplemental feeding equipment should not be placed directly under or too close to the brooders and the feed should be distributed just prior to the chicks’ arrival. Provide one feeder tray for every 50 chicks at day old and ensure that supplementary feed remains fresh. Remove supplementary feeder trays after day 7.
Supplementary drinkers
If supplemental drinkers are necessary, open trays are not recommended since chicks may immerse themselves in these and / or contaminate the water with litter and feed which results in poor water quality. Supplemental drinkers should never be placed directly beneath the brooders as this will heat the water and it will become too warm to drink as well as increase water evaporation.
Stocking density
Chicks from donor sources of a similar age should be placed together in the same pen (or house) upon arrival at the farm. Rearing these groups together will improve subsequent flock uniformity.
The placement density in the brooding chamber will depend on the size of the brooding area and the equipment. Initial stocking should not exceed more than 55 to 60 birds per m2. Ensure adequate drinking space, especially during summer placements - calculate 40 birds per nipple if nipples are easily activated.
Chick placement
Chicks should be placed directly on the litter, close to feed and water. While placing chicks and checking during the brooding phase, staff should talk quietly and move calmly through the house to minimize stress.
After ensuring that all chicks are placed and comfortable, staff should leave chicks undisturbed for a minimum of 2 hours to allow them to acclimate to their new surroundings and rest.
Post-placement management
Check chicks 2 hours after placement, which will give them time to settle and identify the reception area. Ensure they are comfortable. Chick distribution and behavior should be closely monitored after placement and within the first 24 to 48 hours of brooding. It is normal to see some chicks sleeping, eating or drinking, and some actively exploring their new environment. If you observe chicks panting, huddling, chirping loudly or irregularly distributed within the brood area, investigate the cause(s) immediately. If not corrected, they can have a negative impact on flock welfare and performance outcomes.
Temperature and ventilation
Cold chicks will huddle with reduced activity, causing reduced feed and water intake and therefore reduced growth rate. If they are comfortably warm, the chicks should be evenly and actively moving around the brooding area.
Chick internal temperature can be measured using a small rectal probe thermometer with a soft tip. Quick-reading, digital thermometers are recommended for these chick
checks. Hatched chick internal temperature should be 40.0 to 40.6 °C. Chick internal temperature above 41 °C in first 4 days can lead to panting. Chick internal temperature below 40 °C indicates that the chick is too cold. Check ventilation settings and ensure there are no drafts or cold air movement at chick level. High quality air and low dust is also important for a good start in brooding.
Hydration and water management
The yolk contains 1 to 2 g of moisture so the chick will lose weight but not become dehydrated. If chicks start panting, they can lose 5 to 10 g of moisture in the first 24 hours and then dehydration will occur. Higher relative humidity will reduce moisture loss but also impair heat loss, so correct brood temperature is vital.
The supplemental drinkers should never be allowed to become completely empty (dry). Drinkers must be cleaned and refilled as necessary. Maintain maximum water levels in the supplemental drinkers until chicks are large enough to create spillage. Supplemental drinkers should be removed approximately 48 hours after placement. Water spillage and waste should be kept to a minimum especially during cold seasons because of lower air exchange to eliminate moisture during these months.
Ideal water temperature is between 10 to 14 °C (50 and 57 °F), however birds can tolerate a wide range of water temperature; even so water temperature should never be greater than 25 °C (77 °F). If this occurs the drinking system must be flushed at least 3 times per day.
Lighting
Provide a minimum of 30 lux in the darkest area of the house. Turn on all lights to provide even light distribution. Give chicks 23 hours of light at placement and 1 hour of darkness. Acclimate chicks to the dark by gradually reducing light duration to 8 hr by 14 day of age.
Check for light leaks inside and outside the brood area during pre-placement check to ensure light control will be achievable throughout rearing. This is crucial in both the brood and non-brood areas.
Feeder management and feed intake
The yolk contains 2/3 fat and 1/3 protein with the fat for energy and protein for growth. If early feed consumption doesn’t take place the chick will use both fat and protein in the yolk for energy, resulting in inadequate protein levels for growth. Early feed intake is crucial for chicks to sustain metabolic processes such as internal body temperature. The main objective of management during the first hours after placement on the farm is to achieve as much intake of water and feed in as many chicks as possible. Failure to achieve this objective will lead to irreversible problems with flock performance including poor growth, poor feed conversion and poor flock uniformity.
Sample 100 chicks per brooding area. If the crops of the chicks are checked 8 hours after placement a minimum of 85 % of examined chicks should have both feed and water present. A minimum of 95% of the bird’s crops should be filled upon examination the morning after placement.
If too many crops are hard (>15%), immediately evaluate water availability, water temperature, flow rate, etc. to determine why chicks may not be accessing water in the brood area.
If too many crops are soft (>15%), immediately evaluate feed availability, feed location, feed presentation (uniformity and smell), and verify that the correct feed was delivered to the farm. Check ambient temperature and floor temperature as well to determine why chicks may not be accessing feed in the brood area.
Opening the brooders (Turning out)
Generally, the rearing house partitions should be completely open after 14 to 16 days, but varies according to the final density capacity and the house structure conditions. Heat and ventilate the unused area to the correct temperature at least 24 hours prior to expanding the brooding area. If the environment outside the brooding area is different, chicks may return to and remain in the brood area even after opening the entire house. Before opening the entire house, ensure that all environmental parameters (ventilation, floor temperature, humidity) are the same inside and outside the brood areas.
If supplemental drinker and/or feeder trays are used during brooding, they should be gradually removed from the brooding area over the period of several days before the house is completely opened. Check and activate the nipples on drinker lines that are outside of the brood area prior to turn out.
If chicks have been vaccinated for coccidiosis, transfer litter from the brooding area and mix it with the litter in the new space. This step is critical during the first 3 to 4 weeks so chicks continue ingesting the vaccine (oocysts) from the litter to complete the vaccine oocyst cycling needed for immunity.
Observe chick distribution and behavior as the brooding area is expanded and chicks are given more space. Chicks are naturally curious and will want to explore, but will still need to have the correct temperature, lighting and ventilation to ensure they are comfortable, remain active, and can find feed and water easily within the expanded area.
Conclusions
Extra focus on the brooding phase will ensure chicks have a good start and support future breeder performance. Begin preparing 48 hours before placement with heating and equipment checks. Prior to placement, perform detailed checks including feed and water availability. Postplacement, chick behavior is the best indicator of comfort or issues. When it is time to open the brooding area, make sure the area outside brooding is just as comfortable as inside.
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