Embryonic development and hatchery

Embryonic development and

hatchery

The hatching egg quality is mainly influenced by these factors:

• Condition and health status of the parent stock flock

• Age of the parent stock flock

• Feed quality

• Water quality

• Type of housing

• Litter quality

• Climate

• Percentage and quality of males

• Type and cleanness of nest boxes

• House temperature

• Collecting of the hatching eggs

• Storage and handling of the hatching eggs

• Disinfection of the hatching eggs

SELECTION OF HATCHING EGGS

Remove and discard eggs unsuitable for hatching. These are:

• Dirty

• Cracked

• Small (According to Hatchery Policy)

• Very large or double yolk

• Poor shells - but any shell color should be acceptable for hatching

• Grossly mis-shapen

Disinfection

Whatever method is chosen, efficient disinfection cannot take place unless the shell is clean.

It is rare for disinfectants to be effective against pathogens that reside in organic material or dust.

Spraying, Fumigation, Ozone………

Optimal egg storage condition

• When an egg is laid, there is already a small embryo present with approximately 40000 cells.

• Firstly, the development of the embryo that started in the hen’s body has to be stopped.

• Therefore the egg should slowly cool down below “physiological zero”

(23°C) within six hours after being laid.

Physical-chemical consequences on storing eggs

• Water loss during storage:

• Effects on the albumen:

• Effects on the yolk:

• Effects on the embryo:

Storage condition

It depends to flock age………

Important factors:

• Temperature

• Humidity

• Turning eggs

• Control of the atmosphere

The main effects of storing eggs are:

• Storage prolongs incubation time. On average, one day’s storage adds one hour to incubation time.

• Hatchability is depressed by prolonged storage.

• Chick quality will be affected and hence broiler weights can be

depressed in chicks from eggs that have been stored for 14 days or

more.