Trouble Shooting
Trouble Shooting Taking the hatching egg quality as given, an embryo needs five things to grow satisfactorily and to develop into a healthy chick: Correct incubation temperature. Adequate supply of oxygen and removal of CO2. Loss of a certain amount of water as moisture vapour. Regular turning. A hygienic environment. If you have a problem […]
Hygiene
General hygiene Good hygiene is paramount to good results. Not everyone has modern, state-of-the-art designer hatcheries but with attention to detail the results can be as good. Starting with personnel, they should be provided with shower facilities and clean clothing daily and showering must include the head. The clean clothing should be placed beyond the […]
Chick processing
Chick processing The chicks are now hatched and ready to be processed. But even a good hatch can still be spoiled. Hygiene, careful handling and attention to the chicks are essential to maintain the best quality. Chicks will tell you by their behaviour and noise whether they are feeling well or not. If they don’t, […]
Hatcher
The hatching cycle In the hatcher the eggs will stay for three days. During this time the embryo will develop into a chick. After 19 days of incubation it will penetrate the inner shell membrane and lung respiration will start. The additional available oxygen enables the chick to break through the shell and hatch. Naturally […]
Transparency and Transfer
Transparency Transparency is a means of identifying unfertilised and prematurely dead embryos. The egg trays are passed over a powerful light source which clearly shows unfertilised and prematurely dead embryos. Transparency is not systematically carried out in all hatcheries, as it requires additional equipment and labour. However, we recommend candling a sample from each batch […]
Setter
Single-stage vs. multi-stage incubation Single-stage means that all eggs within an incubator are set together. So all eggs are in the same embryonic stage. This enables the user to adjust the temperature, humidity and ventilation setpoints according to the needs of the embryo, possibly leading to improved hatchability and chick quality. The next benefit is […]
Hatching Egg Handling
The hatching egg The hatching egg is not “just like any egg”. It contains a living embryo which has all the genetic potential the R&D department of H&N International has combined over many years of selection.In order to enable the embryo to express this potential during incubation and in later life as a pullet and […]
Introduction Hatchery Guide
Preparing the breeding flock to move to the laying house Most people who are involved in commercial hatchery practise have seen different management guides and may think ‘if you have seen one, you’ve seen all’. Others take the contents more seriously and expect frequent up-dates to find specific data which apply to the current generation […]
Key Points in layers
House preparation and arrival of chicks Cleaning and disinfection procedure Do not proceed to the next step until the previous step has been completed. Clean the area outside the house, storage and service areas, water lines and ventilation system. Provide staff with adequate protection and clothing: masks, gloves, etc. Maintain the cleaning equipment regularly. Pests […]
Egg quality
What is a healthy hen? Cracked/broken eggs: Problem Large cracks and holes % in production: increases with the age of the hen. 1–5 % of total production Causes Old birds (> 50–60 weeks) Mineral deficiencies or imbalance Saline water Diseases with ovary tropism High temperatures Mechanical damage during collection Hairline cracks: Problem Very fine cracks […]
Health and biosecurity
What is a healthy hen? Knowing a hen’s health status is essential to achieve production goals. Sick birds cannot develop to their full genetic potential, so health programs play a central role in the production schedule. Healthy hens are disease-free or, at least, can support and deal with the diseases that are present in their […]
Bird assessment
Pullet Phase Body weight and uniformity Uniformity = (all weighed birds – A1 – B2) /(all weighed birds) A1 = No. of birds >= average BW x 1.1 B2 = No. of birds <= average BW x 0.9 Weigh minimum 100 birds Select cages from different tiers and also from the front, middle and back […]
House environment
Hen thermo-regulation Convection Heat loss occurs due to the movement of the air which permits the transfer of heat from the hen’s body to the air. This process can be promoted by providing fast air movement around the hen. Conduction Heat transfer from surface to surface. Normally, it is relatively unimportant as the contact surface […]
Nutrition
Rearing nutrition Feed description and management Starter feed High density diet with highly digestible raw materials. Investment that sets up the basis of skeletal and muscular growth of the pullet. Feed should always be available. Grower feed Medium density diet with more variety of raw materials. This supports skeletal and muscular growth. Developer feed Low […]
Late production (up to > 75 weeks)
Eggshell quality Body weight at 5-6 weeks of age The hen’s carcass develops mainly during the first 5-6 weeks of age. A loss of body weight during this period will reduce the laying hen’s longevity. Correct use of pre-sponge feed Incorrect use of pre-lay feed could result in damage to the medullary bone, affecting the […]
Production period (25 – 100 Weeks)
Production Stage After reaching a good production peak, H&N hens should enter a production plateau. Their genetic potential allows them to maintain a high production level and good eggshell quality for some weeks but to achieve this, pay close attention to certain aspects: Feed quality Daily intake Absence of diseases Body weight Production Monitoring Detailed […]
Onset of production (18-25 weeks)
Period after transfer During the first days after housing, it is important to stimulate sufficient feed intake. The hens should increase their feed intake as fast as possible and continue gaining weight (see figure 1). Some useful recommendations: Provide attractive feed with a good structure that avoids fine particles. Provide good quality, fresh water. Run […]
Transfer (15-18 weeks)
Preparing the breeding flock to move to the laying house It is recommended that birds are transferred between 15 and 18 weeks of age. The birds should have time to familiarise themselves with the new environment before they start laying. If the feeding and watering systems used in the rearing house and the laying house […]
Rearing period (9-15 weeks)
Body weight Weight gain as a percentage will slow in this period, but the chicks will continue to grow and develop. Most of the skeleton and muscular systems have already been formed by now and fat disposal will now begin to improve. A correct fat level in the body is necessary to achieve the production […]
Growing (3-9 weeks)
Light program Basic Principles The hours of light at the end of rearing should equal the hours of light at the production house before the start of light stimulation. The light intensity should be similar to what pullets will find in the production house. Design your light program in five steps STEP 1 What is […]
Brooding (1-21 days)
Brooding lighting program Intermittent lighting program Dark houses only (< 3 lux) This program can be used for up to 7 – 10 days after arrival. Then switch back to the regular step-down lighting program. Using this lighting program has the following advantages: Chick behaviour is synchronized; they rest or sleep at the same time. […]
House preparation and arrival of chicks
Cleaning and disinfection procedure Step 1 Preparation It is essential to remove all equipment or waste (dead birds, feed, eggs, manure, etc.) left in the house before cleaning. Any removable material/equipment should be detached Step 2 Dry cleaning This removes all dust and dry organic material from the house using compressed air, brooms or shovels. […]
Health and biosecurity
Flock health at parent stock farm: a critical point for success In the egg industry, numerous diseases are vertically transmitted, this means from breeders to their progeny. That is why without a strict sanitary control at the selection and reproduction level it is not possible to control these diseases in commercial layer. This will avoid […]
House environment
Hen thermo-regulation Convection Heat loss occurs due to the movement of the air which permits the transfer of heat from the hen’s body to the air. This process can be promoted by providing fast air movement around the hen. Conduction Heat transfer from surface to surface. Normally, it is relatively unimportant as the contact surface […]
