TechFocus_EGGS 0325 - Management Practices to Reduce Hatchi…

Nutrition Nutrition is a key factor in determining egg weight. The intake of total protein and total sulfur-containing amino acids (TSAA) significantly impacts egg weight, providing nutritionists with essential tools for its management. Research suggests that while higher egg weight may slightly increase embryonic mortality, the effect is not substantial. However, egg weight has a significant impact on fertility and hatchability (Table 2), with both metrics decreasing as egg weight increases. Table 2: Effect of egg weight on hatchability and embryonic mortality

P value

Parameter

65 to 69 g

70 to 74 g

75 to 80 g

Mid dead % Late dead %

0.0 0.73 1.63 P>0.05 2.47 5.13 6.37 P>0.05 90.7 83.38 78.7 P<0.008

Fertile %

Hatchability of fertile eggs (%) Hatchability of total eggs

95.97 93.40 88.00 P>0.05

84.67 78.67 75.33 P<0.012

Adapted from Malik et al. 2015.

• Uniformity, both in egg size and colour • Double yolks

Egg Quality Ensuring egg quality is crucial for producing high-quality chicks. Proper handling and frequent egg collection are essential, at least 4 times per day for manual nests and 2 times per day for automatic nests, to cool eggs to on-farm storage temperatures (21 °C to 25 °C). This process slows pre-incubation and embryo development while preventing physical damage from egg overcrowding in the nest or on the belt. During egg collection, the farmer must perform an initial visual inspection to ensure eggs meet hatchery standards. Key inspection criteria include: • Shell cleanliness • Upside down eggs in the tray (Table 3) • Cracks • Shell thickness

Deliver floor eggs (clean and dirty) separately from clean nest eggs to the hatchery. Floor and nest eggs should be incubated separately to reduce the risk of contamination. Factors affecting egg quality include: • Hen age - Shell colour becomes lighter and thinner increasing the risk of cracks. • Stress during the early stage of lay formation may result in more misshapen eggs. • Environment - High temperatures can cause respiratory alkalosis, leading to thinner shells. • Feed formulation - An imbalance of calcium, phosphorus and vitamin D3 levels influence shell thickness. • Feed quality - Mycotoxins in feed decreases the hatchability of fertile eggs. • Drinking water quality - Drinker water with high levels

• Deformities • Egg weight

Table 3: Influence of incubating eggs upside down on hatchability and chick quality.

Total Hatch 2nd Grade Cull Chicks Infertile

Early

Middle

Late

Large end up

89.2

1.0

0.9

2.2

2.6

0.0

5.9

Small end up

64.6

2.1

2.6

1.9

5.8

0.1

27.6

Data from a single unpublished internal trial, for reference only.