Advanced Poultry Management JS 3 Note

JSS 3 LIVESTOCK FARMING LESSON NOTE

FIRST TERM | WEEK 2: ADVANCED POULTRY MANAGEMENT

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1. Hatchery Management

A hatchery is a specialized facility where fertile eggs are collected, stored, incubated, and hatched into day-old chicks under strictly controlled hygienic conditions.

Selection of Hatching Eggs:
Not all eggs laid by hens can be hatched. Hatching eggs must come from a healthy breeder flock with a ratio of 1 rooster to 8–10 hens.

Criteria for Selecting Good Hatching Eggs:

• Fertility: Must be produced by mated hens.
• Egg Size/Weight: Standard medium size (~55g–65g). Extra-large or very small eggs have poor hatchability.
• Shell Quality: Smooth, clean, strong shell free from cracks, wrinkles, or thin spots.
• Egg Shape: Normal oval shape (distinct narrow and broad ends). Extremely round or long pointed eggs should be rejected.
• Cleanliness: Naturally clean eggs; dirty eggs harbour bacteria that destroy developing embryos. Never wash hatching eggs with cold water.

Hatching Egg Storage: Store eggs broad-end up at 15°C–18°C with 75% relative humidity for no longer than 7–10 days before setting them in an incubator.

2. Incubation

Incubation is the process of providing specific environmental conditions (heat, humidity, ventilation, and turning) to fertile eggs to allow embryonic development and hatching.

Types of Incubation:
• Natural Incubation: A broody hen sits on a small clutch of fertile eggs (10–15 eggs) for 21 days using her body warmth.
• Artificial Incubation: Uses mechanical devices (incubators) to hatch thousands of eggs simultaneously.

Critical Environmental Conditions in Artificial Incubators

Condition	Required Range (Days 1–18)	Importance / Effect of Malfunction
Temperature	37.5°C – 37.8°C (99.5°F – 100°F)	Drives cell division. High heat kills embryos; low heat delays hatching or causes weak chicks.
Relative Humidity	55% – 60% (Days 1–18) 65% – 70% (Days 19–21)	Controls moisture loss. Low humidity causes dry embryos sticking to shell; high humidity prevents proper air cell formation.
Egg Turning	Turned 3 to 8 times daily at 45° angles	Prevents embryo from sticking to the inner shell membrane. Stop turning after Day 18.
Ventilation	21% Oxygen level; low CO2	Supplies oxygen for embryo respiration and removes metabolic carbon dioxide and moisture.

Candling Schedule: Eggs are candled over a light source on Day 7 (to remove infertile "clear" eggs) and Day 18 (to remove dead embryos before moving eggs to hatcher trays).

3. Chick Brooding Management

Brooding covers the post-hatch period (Days 1 to 21) where chicks are given supplemental heat, anti-stress nutrition, and biosecurity care until they feather out.

Steps in Brooder Preparation & Operations:

1. Pre-Arrival Sanitation: Wash, disinfect, and dry the brooder house 10–14 days before chick arrival. Spread clean, dry wood shavings (5–8 cm deep).
2. Brooder Guard Setup: Install a circular cardboard or metal fence (brooder guard) to prevent chicks from straying into cold corners or crowding.
3. Pre-Heating: Turn on brooder heaters (heat lamps, gas hovers, or charcoal stoves) 12 to 24 hours before arrival so the floor reaches 32°C–35°C.
4. Reception Routine:
   • Provide warm, clean drinking water mixed with glucose, vitamins, and anti-stress electrolytes first.
   • Introduce Chick Starter Mash on flat feeder trays 2 hours after chicks have drunk water.
5. Temperature Regulation: Reduce brooder temperature by ~2.5°C each week as chicks grow and develop feathers.

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CLASS EVALUATION & REVISION QUESTIONS

1. Define hatchery management and state three reasons for rejecting an egg intended for hatching.
2. Distinguish between natural and artificial incubation.
3. What is the incubation period for chicken eggs?
4. Why is egg turning essential during the first 18 days of incubation?
5. State the purpose of giving glucose and anti-stress vitamins to newly arrived day-old chicks.

HOME ASSIGNMENT:
Draw a labeled diagram in your exercise book showing the behavior and distribution of chicks under a brooder heater when the environment is: (a) Too Cold, (b) Too Hot, (c) Drafty, and (d) Ideal/Correct Temperature.