Incubating and Hatching Eggs

EPS-001

7/13

hether eggs come from a common chicken

or an exotic bird, you must store and incu-

bate them carefully for a successful hatch. Envi-

ronmental conditions, handling, sanitation, and

record keeping are all important factors when it

comes to incubating and hatching eggs.

Fertile egg quality

A fertile egg is alive; each egg contains living cells

that can become a viable embryo and then a chick.

Eggs are fragile and a successful hatch begins with

undamaged eggs that are fresh, clean, and fertile.

You can produce fertile eggs yourself or obtain

them elsewhere. While commercial hatcheries

produce quality eggs that are highly fertile, many

do not ship small quantities. If you mail order

eggs, be sure to pick them up promptly from your

receiving area. Hatchability will decrease if eggs

are handled poorly or get too hot or too cold in

transit.

If you produce the eggs on site, you must care for

the breeding stock properly to ensure maximum

fertility. Egg quality and embryo survival are

inuenced by hen and sire’s:

◆ age

◆ health

◆ nutrition

Factors that aect hatchability

Breeder Hatchery

Breeder nutrition

Disease

Mating activity

Egg damage

Correct male and female

body weight

Egg sanitation

Egg storage

Sanitation

Egg storage

Egg damage

Incubation—Management of

setters and hatchers

Chick handling

Collecting and storing fertile eggs

Fertile eggs must be collected carefully and stored

properly until they are incubated. Keeping the

eggs at proper storage temperatures keeps the

embryo from starting and stopping development,

which increases embryo mortality. Collecting

eggs frequently and storing them properly delays

embryo development until you are ready to incu-

bate them.

Egg storage reminders

• Store less than 10 days

• Maintain temperature between 55 to 65°F

• Keep relative humidity at 75 percent

• Turn eggs stored more than a week

• Handle eggs with care!

Cleaning and culling

Do not incubate eggs that are cracked, misshapen,

soiled, or unusually small or large. ese rarely

hatch andcan potentially contaminate the good

Incubating and Hatching Eggs

Gregory S. Archer and A. Lee Cartwright*

* Assistant Professor and Extension Poultry Specialist,

Associate Professor and Extension Poultry Specialist,

e Texas A&M University System

◆ ratio

◆ genetics

◆ stress

eggs. Do not wash or wipe eggs with a damp cloth.

Doing so can remove the egg’s protective layer

and allow disease and bacteria to enter. It can also

spread bacteria from one dirty egg to others.

You can gently bu soiled eggs with ne sand

paper but this can also damage the egg’s protective

coating. It is best to avoid incubating soiled eggs.

General care

Once you have eggs to incubate, avoid damaging

or contaminating them. Wash your hands fre-

quently to remove bacteria from your hands.

Storage time

Eggs should be set as soon aer you collect them

as possible. Storing eggs for at least three days

helps prepare them for incubation; however, fresh

and stored eggs should not be set together.

It is best to incubate eggs within 7 to 10 days of

their being laid. Hatchability decreases rapidly

when eggs are stored for more than 10 days. Aer

7 days, hatchability decreases 0.5 to 1.5 percent

per day. Each day in storage adds one hour to the

incubation time.

Temperature and humidity during storage

Fertile eggs should be stored between 55 and

65°F. If fertile eggs reach temperatures above

72°F, embryos will begin to develop abnormally,

weaken, and die. Embryos stored below 46°F also

have high embryo mortality. Room temperature is

generally too warm and the refrigerator is too cold

for storing fertile eggs. If you plan to store eggs in

a refrigerator, adjust it to an appropriate tempera-

ture.

Fertile eggs should be stored at 70 to 80 percent

relative humidity. High humidity can cause con-

densation to form on the eggshell. is can clog

the pores on the eggshell and cause contamination

the same way washing does. Clogging the pores

can also suocate the embryo.

Low humidity during storage can make the egg

lose internal moisture and kill the embryo. To

increase the humidity, place a pan of water in the

storage room. It is the surface area of the water

inuences humidity, not the depth of the water.

Avoid dras; these can dry the eggs out even

when humidity is within the appropriate range.

Positioning and turning eggs during storage

If you plan to store eggs for less than ten days

before incubating, place them on ats with the

large end up. You do not need to turn the eggs if

they will be incubated within a week of being laid.

You should cover the eggs with a loose material to

keep them clean.

If you plan to store eggs for more than 10 days,

tilt them from side to side over a 90-degree angle

once or twice daily. You can do this by placing a

six-inch block under one end of the at, switching

the end of the at each day until incubation.

Incubation

An incubator is basically a box that holds eggs

while maintaining an appropriate temperature,

humidity, and oxygen level. Incubators have vary-

ing capacities and adapters for eggs from dierent

species.

Popular incubator models oen include automatic

turners, humidiers, and temperature controllers.

Egg turners can usually be purchased separately

for incubators that do not include them. Humidi-

ers can be the type that disperses water vapor as

needed or many smaller incubators use a simple

water reservoir. Temperature is controlled by older

wafer systems or the newer digital thermostats.

Incubators come in forced air or still air versions.

e temperature and humidity in a forced air

incubator is more consistent. ey also return to

desired temperature and humidity more quickly

aer being opened.

Still air incubators can give inaccurate humidity

and temperature readings and the temperature in

them can vary considerably. Whenever possible,

use a forced air incubator. Regardless of incuba-

tor type, for a successful hatch you must turn the

eggs and monitor the temperature, humidity, and

ventilation.

e incubator should be in a room that has no

dras or direct sunlight; the temperature and

humidity should be controlled and stable. e

incubator and hatcher should also be isolated

from the growing facilities. Newly hatched chicks

can be contaminated by older birds and the dust

created by growing birds. Take biosecurity mea-

sures to insure the incubator area is not contami-

nated by older birds.

Chicks may be hatched in the incubator depend-

ing on what type it is; however, hatching creates

large amounts of dust and down. Hatching in

a separate unit will keep dust and down from

contaminating the incubator. Temperature and

humidity can also be controlled more easily if you

use separate units for incubating and hatching.

Regardless of method, you must properly clean

and disinfect the incubator and hatcher between

batches.

Two to three days before incubation

Sanitize the incubator and run it for several days

before setting the eggs. is will ensure that the

incubator is maintaining the proper temperature

and relative humidity before the eggs are set.

Adjusting the temperature and humidity aer the

eggs are set can decrease hatchability. If you are

using an automatic turner, test it completely before

setting the eggs. e temperature and humidity of

the incubation room should be correct and stable

when you set the eggs. Do not set the eggs until the

temperature and humidity in the incubators and

the room are correct and stable.

Cleaning and fumigation

Microbes in an incubator can signicantly reduce

hatchability. Cleaning and disinfecting equipment

must be standard operating procedures. Disinfect,

incubators, hatchers and their racks with quater-

nary ammonia or a commercial disinfectant aer

each hatch.

The day eggs are set

Let stored eggs warm to room temperature for

4 hours to 8 hours before setting them in the

incubator. If you place cold eggs in a warm, humid

incubator, condensation will form on them and

lead to possible contamination or suocation.

Once the eggs are in the incubator, do not adjust

the temperature or humidity for a few hours,

unless the temperature exceeds 102°F. Aer 4

hours, make proper adjustments. e nal tem-

perature should vary only .5 degree above or

below 99.5°F. e temperature of incubators with-

out circulating fans uctuates more than incuba-

tors with circulating fans. If the temperature does

not exceed 102°F, the hatch should not be harmed.

Set the small end of the egg lower than the large

end in the incubator. A developing embryo orients

so that the head develops toward the air cell,

which is in the large end of the egg. If the small

end is higher than the large end during incuba-

tion, a chick’s head can orient away from the air

cell of the egg and not hatch.

Set stage

e set stage refers to incubation period up until

2 or 3 days before a hatch. Dierent species have

dierent incubation periods (Table 1). Incubating

dierent species together in the same incubator is

not recommended, especially if the incubator is

also used as hatcher.

Turning the eggs during incubation prevents

embryo death and unhealthy hatches. Eggs must

be turned at least ve times every 24 hours.

Turning more frequently is better and once per

hour is best. Keep accurate records to ensure the

eggs are turned three to ve times each 24-hour

period. Failure to turn eggs appropriately results

in embryo death.

Turning must continue even through weekends.

An automatic turner simplies this task and

decreases human error during the incubation

process.

Table 1. Incubation period to hatch time and when to transfer to hatcher. Temperature and humidity levels for common

birds.

Common name

Incubation conditions Hatcher conditions

Days Temperature

°F

Humidity

%RH

Transfer

day

Temperature

°F

Humidity

canary 13–14 100.5 56–58 11 99 66–74

chicken 21 99.5 58 18 98.5 66–75

cockatiel 18–20 99.5 58–62 15–18 99 66–74

cockatoo 22–30 99.5 58–62 20–27 99 66–74

conure (sun) 28 99.5 58–62 25 99 66–74

conure (various) 21–30 99.5 58–62 18–27 99 66–74

dove 14 99.5 58 12 98.5 66–75

duck 28 99.5 58–62 25 98.5 66–75

muscovy duck 35–37 99.5 58–62 31–33 98.5 66–75

nch 14 99.5 58–62 12 99 66–74

Domestic goose 30 99.5 62 27 98.5 66–75

geese (various) 22–30 99.5 62 20–27 98.5 66–75

grouse 24–25 99.5 54–58 22 99 66–74

guinea 28 99.5 54–58 22 99 66–74

lovebird 22–25 99.5 58–62 20–22 99 66–74

macaw 26–28 99.5 58–62 23–25 99 66–74

mynah 14 100.5 56–58 12 99 66–74

parakeet 18–26 99.5 58–62 15–23 99 66–74

budgerigar 18 99.5 58–62 15 99 66 –74

parrot (various) 18–28 99.5 58–62 15–25 99 66 –74

parrot (african grey) 28 99.5 58–62 25 99 66–74

chukar partridge 23–24 99.5 62 20 99 66–74

peafowl 28–29 99.5 58–62 25–26 98.5 66–75

ptarmigan 21–23 99.5 58–62 18–20 99 66 –74

raven 20–21 99.5 58–62 17–18 99 66 –74

ring-neck pheasant 24–24 99.5 58–62 21 99 66 –74

pheasant 22–28 99.5 58–62 20–25 99 66–74

pigeon 17–19 100.5 58 14 99 66 –74

bobwhite quail 23 99.5 54–58 21 99 66–74

japanese quail 17–18 99.5 58–62 15 99 66 –74

swan 33–37 99.5 58–62 30–33 99 66 –74

turkey 28 99.5 54–58 25 98.5 66–75

emu 49–50 97.5 32–40 47 97. 5 69

ostrich 42 97. 5 32–40 39 97. 5 69

rhea 36–42 97. 5 50 34–37 97.5 69

Temperature, humidity,

and ventilation of incubator

During the set stage, temperature in the incubator

should be 99.5°F to 100°F for chickens. Other spe-

cies have dierent requirements (Table 1). If the

temperature deviates more than ½ degree from

100°F, a poor hatch is likely. Check the tempera-

ture at least twice a day.

Relative humidity should be set at 55 to 60 per-

cent. If the incubator uses a passive humidity

control system, add water to the pan or trough

daily to maintain correct humidity levels. If the

humidity in the incubator is too low or too high,

the hatch will fail.

Insucient humidity causes:

◆ e air cell to be too large at the time of hatch

◆ e contents of the egg be too viscous for the

chick to turn

◆ e membranes to be too tough to break

◆ e navel to not close properly

Excess humidity will cause:

◆ Too little water to evaporate from the egg

◆ e air cell to be too small for the chick to

reach during the hatching process

◆ e chick to drown or be too swollen with

water to turn in the egg

◆ e yolk sac to be too large for the navel to

close completely

e air cell of the egg should become larger as

incubation progresses because of the balance

between temperature and humidity during

incubation. Chicken eggs lose 12 percent to 14

percent of their total weight to evaporation during

incubation. You can weigh racks of eggs during

incubation to detect problems with humidity and

evaporative loss before a hatch is destroyed.

e chick embryo uses oxygen and produces

carbon dioxide. is gas exchange is insignicant

during early incubation or when a small number of

eggs are incubated; however, follow the manufac-

turer’s recommendations to assure that developing

chicks have adequate oxygen available. Near the

end of the incubation period, the shell nearly lled

with the embryo and a full incubator requires

large amounts of oxygen. Ensure adequate venti-

lation and monitor wet and dry bulb temperatures

very carefully during the last third of incubation.

Incubation Reminders

• Place the incubator in a room with a constant

temperature, no drafts or direct sunlight.

• Sanitize the incubator.

• Wash hands before touching eggs. Keep germs, dirt

and oil away from incubating eggs.

• Only incubate eggs together from species with similar

incubation periods.

• Keep the small end of the egg lower than the large

end.

• Record of incubator data daily.

• Ensure that the humidier is working or that the water

pan is lled.

• Verify humidity levels are between 55 to 60 percent.

• Check temperature daily and keep it at 99.5°F to 100°F.

• Turn eggs at least 5 times a day until 3 days before

hatch.

• Increase ventilation during the last third of incubation.

• Do not turn for the nal 3 days. Provide a cloth or

rough paper for the chicks to walk on.

• Increase humidity to 65 to 70 percent at hatch stage.

Record keeping

Record the incubator environment daily (Appen-

dix A). e sample record on page 11 is designed

for use with eggs that hatch aer 21 days of

incubation. You can use records of your hatches

to detect malfunctions before a hatch is ruined.

Records of fertility and embryo deaths can also

alert hatchery managers about problems with

production, storage, or incubators.

Candling

Shining a light through the egg to observe embryo

development is called candling. White or pale

eggs are easier to candle than dark or speck-

led eggs. Many people candle eggs with a small

ashlight that can be focused. You can also buy

commercial candlers at reasonable cost.

In a dark room, hold the egg to the light of the

candler to observe the contents of the egg. Cool-

ing that occurs for less than 10 minutes during

candling does not harm the embryo. However,

even a brief period at 104°F kills embryos—expose

the egg to the hot light sources only briey.

Embryos can be conrmed easily aer 8 to 12

days of incubation. e living embryo will appear

as a dark spot in the large end of the egg sur-

rounded by a faint outline of blood vessels. e

blood vessels will appear rm and distinct. e

embryo appears as dark spot that becomes larger

as incubation progresses. Eventually you will see

only a dark mass and the air cell.

In comparison, an infertile or unincubated egg

transmits light brightly. Dead embryos will some-

times appear as a ring or a smear of blood in the

egg or a dark spot dried to the inside of the shell.

Once it dies, the embryo no longer grows and the

blood system fades.

You should expect some mortality; however,

unusual mortality or certain characteristics of

the mortality can be indicators that you need to

correct certain practices to improve hatchability.

Keep records of egg infertility or embryo death for

reference.

Ten percent or more of incubated eggs are infertile.

Identifying and removing eggs that are infertile or

dead eliminates possible sources of contamination

from the incubator. If you have doubts about can-

dling, seek expert advice.

Hatch stage

is stage refers to nal 2 to 3 days of incubation

when chicks hatch out of the shell. Transfer eggs to

a dedicated hatcher for the last 3 days to 4 days of

incubation and do not turn them. If a hatcher is not

available, remove the eggs from the turner and lay

them in the hatching basket or place them on cloth

or rough paper (not newspaper) in the incubator.

Make sure the cloth or paper do not cover vent

holes, or touch the water or the heating element.

During this stage, decrease the temperature 1°F

and increase the relative humidity to 65 to 70

percent. You can increase the humidity by adding

a wet sponge or wet paper towels to the incubator.

e chicks should start to pip within a day of the

incubation period listed for the species in Table 1.

Table 2. Incubating and hatching egg and chick classication

Culled eggs Cracked, misshapen or otherwise not likely to hatch

Infertile eggs Determined to have no germ. Originally infertile. These eggs are clear during candling and show no

evidence of blood or embryo development.

Early dead Embryos died during the rst quarter of incubation. Some of these can be detected and removed during

candling. These eggs would be fertile and could show a dead early embryo, show no development,

development but no blood, or a blood ring.

Middle dead Embryos died after the early (middle third) period but before transfer.

Late dead Embryos died during the hatch phase of incubation.

Malformed Embryos that have an obvious deformity.

Malpositioned Embryos not positioned correctly for hatching.

Live pips Chicks that have pipped and are living, but not hatched.

Dead pips Pipped chicks that died but are not malformed or malpositioned.

Rots Infected or contaminated eggs.

Culled chicks Chicks that hatched but are unsound.

Good chicks Good quality, healthy normal chicks.

When chicks hatch

Hatching requires great eort; the chick is very

active then takes long rests. e entire process

takes 10 hours to 20 hours. Do not worry about

how long a chick takes to hatch unless it takes

more than 20 hours.

Eggs that are not hatched 1 day aer the predicted

incubation period should be discarded. Do not

help a chick free itself from the shell; chicks that

cannot hatch on their own usually die. If you help

them and they live, they usually will not thrive.

Dispose of weaker deformed chicks humanely.

ese chicks should never be used for breeding

because these traits could be transmitted to their

young.

Once chicks successfully leave the shell, increase

the ventilation in the incubator and leave them in

it about 24 hours or until their feathers are dry.

Table 3. Possible causes of hatching problems

Observation Possible cause(s)

Eggs exploding Dirty eggs

Improperly cleaned eggs

Dirty incubator

No embryonic

development

Infertile egg

Rough handling of eggs

Incubation temperature too high

Incubation temperature too low

Eggs stored too long

Eggs stored improperly

Breeders stressed

Too many hens per rooster

Old or unhealthy hens or males

Inbreeding

Disease

Blood ring

Early dead

Old eggs

Incubation temperature too high

Incubation temperature too low

Electric power failure

Eggs not turned

Inbreeding

Infection

Poor nutrition of breeders

Air cell too small Humidity too high

Air cell too large Humidity too low

Chicks hatch early,

dry chicks, bloody

navels, chicks too

small

Small eggs

Temperature too high

Humidity too low

Chicks hatch late Large eggs

Old eggs

Temperature too low

Humidity too high

Observation Possible cause(s)

Chicks dead after

pipping

Eggs not turned rst 2 weeks

Thin-shelled eggs

Temperature too low during

incubation

Temperature too high during

incubation

Humidity too low during incu-

bation

Humidity too high during incu-

bation

Infection, disease

Unhealed navel

Mushy chicks

Temperature too low during

incubation

Wide temperature variation in

incubator

Humidity too high during incu-

bation

Poor ventilation

Malformed legs and

toes

Improper temperature during

incubation

Improper humidity during

incubation

Legs also may be harmed by

hatching or holding chicks

Weak chicks Temperature too high or low

Old eggs

Poor ventilation

Gasping chicks Disease: Bronchitis or Newcastle

disease

Malpositions Temperature too high or low

Turning inadequate

Large end of egg not up when

set

Old or poorly handled eggs

Poor breeder nutrition

When more than 90 percent of the chicks are dry,

remove them from the hatcher. Move the chicks

to a warm brooder and give them water and feed.

Leaving chicks in the incubator too long can

dehydrate them.

Embryo death

Eggs fail to hatch because they are infertile or

because the embryo dies. You can candle eggs

during incubation or examine them aer the

hatch to determine what caused them to fail.

Humidity control can sometimes contribute to

these problems.

Embryos usually die during the rst 3 days of incu-

bation or the 3 days immediately before a hatch.

Early embryo death happens when embryonic

organs are forming. However, eggs that are fertile

one third of the way through incubation have an 88

to 90 percent chance of continuing to develop.

Death at the end of the incubation process can

occur because the chick:

◆ Has diculty positioning for pipping

◆ Cannot absorbing the yolk sac

◆ Cannot transition to breathing air

Record when embryos die to identify changes you

need to make in the incubation process. A sample

record form for hatch and fertility failures is in

Appendix A.

Examine the eggs that fail to hatch by remov-

ing the top of the egg at the large end. A chick

that has developed appropriately in the egg will

normally have its head under the right wing. e

air cell will be large enough to allow the chick to

position correctly for hatching. e shell mem-

branes should not dry to the chick during hatch.

Note any dryness. Note the condition of the beak,

wings, and legs for proper form.

Carefully classify infertile or dead embryos using

the designations listed in Table 2. All abnormal-

ities should be recorded and analyzed to deter-

mine if hatch failure was caused by fertility or

environmental problems that can be corrected.

Use the Hatchability and Mortality Record

(Appendix B) to calculate the percentage fertility,

percentage hatchability, and percentage of total

eggs hatched. ese numbers will help in evaluat-

ing hatch eciency. Any changes in the mortality

records data are early warnings to correct small

problems before they become serious.

Nutrition can be a factor in fertility and hatch-

ability problems, as recognized by the National

Research Council (Appendix C).

Resources

Professional advice and support

e oce of the Texas AgriLife Extension Service

in your county listed in the telephone directory

under the county name.

Gregory S. Archer

MS 2472 TAMU

College Station, TX 77843-2472

Telephone: (979) 845-4319

E-mail: garcher@poultry.tamu.edu

PowerPoint presentation: An accompanying slide-

show is available at your local Extension oce or

the Texas A&M Department of Poultry Science.

Sources of fertile eggs

ere are many sources for fertile eggs. Some

sources are convenient and the eggs aordable,

but egg quality and fertility can be a problem.

One source of fertile eggs is Texas A&M Uni-

versity, which will ship as few as 2 dozen fertile

eggs. Prices and other information are subject to

change.

To order fertile eggs from Texas A&M, please

complete and submit the form at http://posc.tamu.

edu/fertile-egg-orders

Or contact Dale Hyatt at (979) 845-4367

No credit cards are accepted. Eggs are sold in

dozen and half dozen quantities only, with a min-

imum 2 dozen order. Eggs are $7 per dozen plus a

$3 handling fee per order, plus shipping.

Shipping within Texas: Eggs are shipped via

Greyhound Bus Lines to the nearest bus terminal.

Please check with Greyhound for shipping times

between Bryan, Texas and your destination. Ship-

ping charges vary according to the number of eggs

ordered and the distance from shipping point.

When ordering, request fertile chicken eggs for a

school project. You will be billed at the end of the

month.

Sources of fertile eggs, incubators,

and equipment

Cackle Hatchery

PO Box 529

Lebanon, MO 65536

(417) 532-4581

cacklehatchery.com

Carolina Biological Supply Company

P.O. Box 6010

Burlington, NC 27216

(800) 334-5551

www.carolina.com

GQF Manufacturing Co.

2343 Louisville Rd.

Savannah, GA 31415-1619

(912) 236-0651

www.gqfmfg.com

Homan Hatchery Inc.

P.O. Box 129

Gratz, PA 17030

(717) 365-3694

www.homanhatchery.com

Ideal Poultry

PO Box 591

Cameron, TX 76520

(254) 679-6677

www.ideal-poultry.com

Kemp’s Incubators

3560 West 18th Ave.

Eugene, OR 97402

(888) 901-2743

www.poultrysupply.com

Lyon Technologies, Inc.

1690 Brandywine Avenue

Chula Vista, CA 91911

(888) 5966-872

www.lyonusa.com

McMurray Hatchery

P.O. Box 458

191 Closz Drive

Webster City, Iowa 50595

(800) 454-3280

www.mcmurrayhatchery.com

Meyer Hatchery

626 State Route 89

Polk, OH 44866

(888) 568-9755

www.meyerhatchery.com

Randall Burkey Co., Inc.

117 Industrial Dr.

Boerne, TX 78006

(800) 531-1097

www.randallburkey.com

Stromberg’s Chicks and Game Birds

P.O. Box 400

Pine River, MN 56474

(800) 720-1134

www.strombergschickens.com

Ridgway Hatcheries, Inc.

615 North High St. Box 306

Larue, OH 43332

(740) 499-2163

ridgwayhatchery.com

Welp Hatchery

P.O. BOX 77

Bancro, Iowa 50517

(800) 458-4473

www.welphatchery.com

Helpful books

Bird, Egg, Feather, Nest, by Maryjol Koch. Smith-

mark Publishing, 1999.

Chicken and Egg, by Christine Back, and Olesen

Jens. A&C Black Publishers Ltd, 1992.

Chicks & Chickens, by Gail Gibbons. Holiday

House, 2005.

Eggs and Chicks, by Fiona Patchett. Usborne

Books, 2007.

Eyewitness Books: Bird, by David Burnie. DK

Children., 2008.

From Egg to Chicken, by Anita Ganeri. Heine-

man-Raintree, 2006.

From Egg to Chicken, by Gerald Legg. Children’s

Press, 1998.

From Egg to Chicken, by Robin Nelson. Lerner

Publications, 2003.

See How ey Grow: Chick, by Jane Burton. DK

Preschool, 2007.

e Chicken or the Egg?, by Allan Fowler. Chil-

dren’s Press, 1993.

Where Do Chicks Come From?, by Amy Sklansky.

Collins, 2005.

Websites

http://www.enchantedlearning.com/subjects/

birds/info/chicken/egg.shtml

http://chickscope.beckman.uiuc.edu/resources/

egg_to_chick/development.html

www.4-h.org/Resource-Library/.../Emb-Help-

Guide-Beginner.dwn

www.4-h.org/Resource-Library/.../Emb-Help-

Guide-Advanced.dwn

Wall charts

Chicken Development, Chart by Carolina

http://www.carolina.com/

Chicken Development, Poster by Ward’s Natural

Science

http://wardsci.com/

Chicken Embryo, by American Educational Prod-

ucts, LLC

http://www.amep.com/

Chicken Embryology, Poster Set” by eNasco

http://www.enasco.com/

Technical references

A Guide to Better Hatching, by Janet Stromberg.

Stromberg Publishing Company, 1975.

Hatching Manual, Lyon Electric Company, Inc.

1988.

Practical Incubation, by Rob Harvey. Hancock

House Publishers, 1993.

http://www.cobb-vantress.com/products/guide-

library/general/hatchery-management-guide

Appendix A: Incubator Data Chart

Day# Date Turner Works

Temperature

Wet

Bulb

Water

Checked Candling Remarks1 2 3 Room Incubator

19 xxx xxx xxx

20 xxx xxx xxx

21 xxx xxx xxx

This record is important. Keeping data will help prevent problems from developing during incubation.

Check the turner three times each day except days 19 through 21. Eggs are not turned on these days.

Appendix B: Hatchability and mortality record

ID #

Set

date

Candling

date

Eggs Dead

Malformed/

Malposition

Pips

Live/Dead Rots

Chicks Percentage

Culled Infertile Early Middle Late Cull Good Fertility

Hatch

Total

/ /

This record is important. Keeping data will help identify problems with bird husbandry and incubation.

Fertility (%) = (Fertile Eggs/Eggs Set) x 100%

Hatchability (%) = (Good Chicks Hatched/Fertile Eggs) x 100%

Total Eggs Hatched (%) = (Good Chicks Hatched/Eggs Set) x 100%

Appendix C: Signs of deciency in the embryo

Nutrient Deciency signs

Vitamin A Death at about 48 hours of incubation from failure to develop the circulatory system; abnormalities of

kidneys, eyes and skeleton.

Vitamin D Death at about 18 or 19 days of incubation, with malpositions, soft bones, and with a defective upper

mandible prominent.

Vitamin E Early death at about 84 to 96 hours of incubation, with hemorrhaging and circulatory failure (impli-

cated with selenium).

Vitamin K No physical deformities from a simple deciency, nor can they be provoked by antivitamins, but mor-

tality occurs between 18 days and hatching, with variable hemorrhaging.

Thiamin High embryonic mortality during emergence but no obvious symptoms other than polyneuritis in

those that survive.

Riboavin

(Vitamin B

)

Mortality peaks at 60 hours, 14 days, and 20 days of incubation, with peaks prominent early as de-

ciency becomes severe. Altered limb and mandible development, dwarsm and clubbing of down are

defects expressed by embryo.

Niacin Embryo readily synthesizes sucient niacin from tryptophan. Various bone and beak malformations

occur when certain antagonists are administered during incubation.

Biotin High death rate at 19 days to 21 days of incubation, parrot beak, chondrodystrophy, several skeletal

deformities and webbing between the toes. Perosis.

Pantothenic acid Deaths appear around 14 days of incubation, although marginal levels may delay problems until emer-

gence. Variable subcutaneous hemorrhaging and edema; wirey down in poults.

Pyridoxine Early embryonic mortality based on antivitamin use.

Folic acid Mortality at about 20 days of incubation. The dead generally appear normal, but may have bent tibi-

otarsus, syndactyly and mandible malformations. In poults, mortality at 26 days to 28 days of incuba-

tion with abnormalities of extremities and circulatory system.

Vitamin B

Mortality at about 20 days of incubation, with atrophy of legs, edema, hemorrhaging, fatty organs,

and head between thighs malposition.

Manganese Deaths peak prior to emergence. Chondrodystrophy, dwarsm, long bone shortening, head malfor-

mations, edema, and abnormal feathering are prominent. Perosis.

Zinc Deaths prior to emergence, and the appearance of rumplessness, depletion of vertebral column, eyes

underdeveloped and limbs missing.

Copper Deaths at early blood stage with no malformations.

Iodine Prolongation of hatching time, reduced thyroid size, and incomplete abdominal closure.

Iron Low hematocrit; low blood hemoglobin; poor extra-embryonic circulation in candled eggs.

Selenium High incidence of dead embryos early in incubation.

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