Incubation and Hatching
Incubation and Hatching
Incubation is the act Forced draft incubators
I. Based on heating source:
Hot air incubator
Hot water incubator
II. Based on fuel used
Gas operated incubator
Oil operated incubator
Location
The chick hatcheries are modern buildings that provide separate rooms for each hatchery operations, but each room has its individual requirements. The hatchery area should be a separate unit with its own entrance and exit, unassociated with those of the poultry farm. The hatchery should be situated at least 1000 ft from poultry houses to prevent horizontal transmission of disease-producing organisms from the chicken houses to the hatchery.
Size of the hatchery
The size of the hatchery is based on the egg capacity of the setters and hatchers, number of eggs that can be set each week and number of chicks hatched each week. Also, necessary space to be allotted for future expansion.
Hatchery design
Hatchery should be constructed in such a manner that the hatching eggs may be taken in one end and the chicks removed at the other. In other words, eggs and chicks should flow through the hatchery from one room to the one next needed in the hatching process. There should not be no backtracking. Such a flow affords better isolation of the rooms and there is less human traffic throughout the building.
Hatchery construction
Hatchery buildings should be intricately designed, properly constructed, and adequately ventilated. Brief general points to be considered are,
Width of the hatchery: The width of the setter and hatcher rooms is to be determined by the type of the incubator used. Find the depth of the incubators; then allow space for the working aisles, behind the machines and the walls.
Height of the ceiling: The height of the ceiling should be at least 10 ft.
Walls: Fireproof material should be used in constructing the walls of the hatchery also prevents the growth of molds common to walls that are porous and absorbent.
Ceiling material: Most hatchery rooms have a high humidity, and during cold weather condensation of moisture on the ceilings is common. Hence, the ceiling material is to be waterproof.
Doors: The hatchery doors are wide enough for easy movement of trolleys, chick boxes etc. The door openings should be 8 ft high and at least 4 ft wide, and doors double-swinging.
Floor: All floors must be concrete, preferably with imbedded steel to prevent cracking. The concrete must be given a glazed finish. Slope of the floor should never be greater than 0.5 inch in 10 feet.