Breeder, layer continued

Egg Candling

• Candling allows examination of embryo development• After 10 days of incubation, use a small flashlight and

place it on the large end of the egg while in a dark room

• Examine and determine normal embryo development at 10 days

• Break open unhatched eggs (residue breakout) to determine fertility or embryo death

Store bought egg

Air cell

Chick developing

Spots like this may indicate bacterial contamination

Undefined, hard to tell if there's a chick developing

Chick developing

Hatchability

Controlling FactorsFarm Hatchery

Breeder Nutrition SanitationDisease Egg Storage

Infertility Egg DamageEgg Damage Incubation – management

of setters and hatchersEgg Sanitation Chick Handling

Egg Storage

Chick Pull and Processing

• Chicks separated, graded by quality, counted• Vaccination

Factors Influencing Chick Size

• Egg size– Chick weight 66-68% of egg

weight• Moisture loss during

incubation• Length of time between

setting and pulling chicks from hatchers

• Date at which incubation began

Brooding Chicks

• Start chicks at 90 to 92oF– Lower temp ~ 5oF each week thereafter

• Use a solid brooder guard if you have a large area you are raising the chicks

• Feed and water chicks immediately after they are placed in brooding area

• Provide access to food and fresh water at all times!

Brooder Ideas

Too draftyToo cold

Too hotJust right

Importance of Water

• Water is the forgotten nutrient• It must be clean, and cool at all

times– Don’t create a soup of bacteria!

• Adding vitamins or electrolytes in the water is also very helpful

Ambient Environment

• In addition to air temperature– Don’t allow birds to be exposed to air drafts– But. . . Birds need fresh air

• Keep birds dry• Keep pens (floor) dry

How It Used to Be Done in 1926

Do we need to reinvent the wheel?

• NO! How it used to be done is not bad• However, we do know much more about birds

today than anyone has ever known, . . . We can and should utilize this information!