Larry R. Vest, Extension Poultry Scientist
Contractual Agreement
Sanitation and Disease Control
Vaccination and Blood Testing
Stress Factors, Parasites and Other
Environmental Management
Records and Goals
Uniformity and Body Weight
Lighting Program
Feeding Program
Male Management
Hatching Egg Care
Successful production of quality hatching eggs requires greater managerial skill than any other phase of poultry production. A good hatching egg producer should be an experienced poultry producer with a thorough knowledge of poultry husbandry, including a basic understanding of producing and preserving egg quality. Success depends upon the following considerations.
An agreement between the hatching egg producer and the contracting poultry company is an essential first component of this business venture. The contract is the first and most important step in the hatching egg production program. The contract should be clearly written and set forth the following points:
The agreement must state who provides what materials or services and when. Example: who provides the birds, feed, medication, utilities, crews for vaccination, beak trimming, unloading and other chores. Also, when will these materials or services be supplied?
Include in the contract a definite understanding concerning the type of assistance the company will provide. Hatcheries usually provide:
The hatchery will designate a time to start a flock in order to keep its egg supply geared to the hatching schedule. This placement schedule may have some flexibility in it. However, the initial and terminal dates of the contract should be clearly specified. Compensation terms should be included in case the flock must be terminated ahead of schedule.
Incentive clauses for superior levels of management and husbandry skills are often included in contracts. Bonuses are often given for fertility, hatchability and feed conversion. These payments often make the difference between average and superior returns and should be clearly specified in the contract.
Be sure the agreement is completely clear and understandable to you. The breeder department of each company has a very specific, complete program to follow. If you require an explanation of any part, have the explanation written out. In many cases, much is left to the producer to decide. The experience of the producer will have a great deal to do with how much management responsibility he or she wishes to assume.
Good, strict sanitation is essential for effective disease control in the hatching flock. Clean and disinfect the house and equipment thoroughly and make sure the house is in a proper state of repair before the new flock arrives.
Remove manure, feathers, litter, etc., to the degree possible from surfaces which the breeders may come in contact. The house should be washed down, disinfected and sanitized. The choice of disinfectant and sanitizer may be made in conjunction with the hatchery or at the discretion of the producer and flock supervisor. Be sure to use a sanitizer that is approved for this type of use. All surfaces must be thoroughly cleaned for the sanitation program to be effective. If for some reason it is not possible to clean all surfaces completely, cresylic compounds may be more effective than quaternary ammonia.
After cleaning and disinfecting, let the house dry thoroughly. Then place 4 to 6 inches of clean, dry bedding (ex. pine shavings) in the house. The bedding should be kept dry at all times. Remove wet spots as they occur and replace with clean, fresh material. Keep a supply of bedding on hand to replace the litter.
Provide adequate ventilation. Good ventilation will not only help keep the litter dry but will also help reduce stress. The result will be the production of cleaner hatching eggs.
Successful hatching egg production depends upon adequate protection against diseases such as infection bronchitis, Newcastle disease, fowl pox, Mareks disease, laryngotracheitis and infectious bursal disease. Your contractor will suggest or provide a vaccination program. State and federal regulations require hatching egg flocks to be blood tested or to be produced from parent stock which are free from pollorum disease and fowl typhoid.
Common internal parasites include roundworms, tapeworms and coccidia. External parasites commonly found are mites and lice. Mite control is the number one parasite problem today. Your flock supervisor or county extension agent can recommend control measures for parasites.
Many factors can cause stress in a flock. Stress may result in production declines. Among the most common stressors are disease outbreaks, parasite infestations, moving the birds, reaction from vaccination, interruption of feed or water supplies, and sudden changes in temperature. Antibiotics, vitamin packs and/or fortified feeds are valuable aids in times of stress. Avoid disturbing birds unnecessarily. Perform daily management activities at the same time every day.
Provide the proper environment for growth of the breeding flock at each stage of development. Contact your flock supervisor or county extension office for information relating to brooding and rearing. A recommended publication is Georgia Extension Bulletin 855, Environmental Factors to Consider when Brooding Chicks. Prevent extreme temperatures in the laying house; they will lower production, fertility and feed efficiency. The optimum tempera-ture for breeders is 65 degrees to 75 degrees F. Evaporative cooling systems have been helpful if used during the hottest part of the day when the relative humidity (R.H.) is lowest (less than 60 percent R.H.) and adequate air movement is provided.
To adequately evaluate progress through the production cycle you must have detailed records which are accurate, easy to understand, timely and helpful. Simply monitoring feed intake, body weights and mortality is not sufficient to develop an understanding of changes in the requirements for birds of different strains under different environmental conditions. Day-to-day management decisions affect performance. Plotting growth during the growing period and production during the lay cycle will tell you how your birds are responding to management decisions and if the decisions were correct.
At least two folders should be prepared for each breeder flock. One is for the flock supervisor and a second for your own use. Each folder should contain the following data:
Average body weight and body weight uniformity are inseparable topics. A flock that is uniformly off the targeted body weight will probably perform better than a non-uniform flock with the correct average weight. A uniform flock with the proper weight should out-perform both. Uniform flocks have several advantages: (a) are more efficient, (b) have higher peak production, and (c) come closest to expressing their full genetic potential.
A weighing program is essential inorder to know whether pullets are on schedule or behind standard weight values. This is especially important during the first 10 to 12 weeks of age. When the pullet is grown improperly during the early growing period, it will be difficult to improve the pullet during the remaining growing period.
Starting at four weeks of age, weigh a random sample of one percent of the pullets, individually every week. Take pullets from different areas of the house. The birds should be weighed on the "no feed" day during the growing period or late afternoon on an every day feeding program (after 24 weeks). Make sure every bird in the sample is weighed. The extra labor involved in weighing and recording body weight and uniformity will result in the greatest profit potential. Otherwise, the flock may over-consume feed, get heavy, mature too early, lay fewer eggs or have reduced fertility. The use of electronic in-house weighing equipment has reduced labor costs and in many cases improved accuracy.
In order to have a better idea of uniformity, it would be beneficial to determine what percent of
the pullet weights are within a range of 10 percent above and below the average for the flock.
Example: If the average body weight was 4.30 pounds, then 80 percent of the birds sampled
should weight between 3.87 and 4.73 pounds. Flock uniformity guidelines are given in Table 1.
| Table 1. Flock Uniformity Guideline | |
| Age Weeks |
Percent of Birds within +/- 10% of the Flock Average |
| 4-6 | 85-95% |
| 7-11 | 80-85% |
| 12-15 | 75-80% |
| 20 and more | 80-85% |
The uniformity of breeder pullets can be influenced by the following factors:
The primary breeders should send chicks from grandparent flocks of approximately the same age. Chicks from young parent stock will be smaller than those from old flocks. If there are differences, the grower should be notified and the boxes identified so the chicks can be grown separately, if possible.
Feed restriction should begin early (four weeks of age) to prevent the flock from becoming overweight and developing a large skeletal frame. Having to reduce body weight after overfeeding makes it very difficult to maintain flock uniformity. The art of growing breeder pullets centers upon supplying the essential level of nutrients without wastage.
An accurate feed scale for weighing the feed is essential. Regardless of the type of scale used, it should be checked periodically for accuracy. Volumetric measurement is not recommended because it can be misleading, especially with formulation changes.
Feed and water space requirements are shown in your company manual or primary breeder manage-ment guide. Aggressive birds often take more than their fair share of feed and water space. Insufficient space becomes detrimental, especially during periods of peak requirements.
Feed distribution is another critical area. The feed should make a complete cycle in 10 minutes or less. If the feed is moved slowly it may be necessary to use supplemental feed hoppers.
The feed trough should never be empty until all the feed allotted for the day has been fed. Feeding several times allows the aggressive birds an opportunity to make several trips to feed, which further restricts the birds on the lower end of the social scale.
During the growing period, skip every other day of feeding. Care must be taken to control growth rate or more harm than good may result. Having ample feeder space and good feed distribution are critical.
Whatever the nutrient density of the ration, all birds should have an opportunity to consume equal quantities of feed. If the feed supplied does not last over three hours during the lay period, it is less likely that all birds have an opportunity to consume the same amount of feed. Thus, the nutrient density of the feed should be reduced to facilitate longer feeding times.
Beak trimming exerts considerable influence on uniformity. Excessively long bottom or top mandibles and uneven cuts restrict feed intake, resulting in reduced growth.
Management factors may place undue stresses on the birds.
Environmental Conditions - Extremes in environmental temperature cause the birds to use more energy to maintain their normal body temperature. High humidity and fluctuating temperature may also influence nutrient demands. Birds kept at uniform temperatures of around 70 degrees F during the winter and not over 80 degrees F during the summer exhibit maximum feed efficiency, assuming good air quality. It is known that noxious gases such as ammonia are detrimental to growth. Thus, it is advantageous to maintain good air quality and a comfortable temperature.
Litter Condition - Wet, caked litter is a hindrance to the development of a uniform flock. Litter problems are greatest during the cold months of the year. Often these problems are created by impro-per ventilation, by lack of insulation and/or by increasing bird density.
The more severe and prolonged the stress, the more pronounced effect it has on the health and eventual uniformity of the flock. Many times these stresses will reduce performance for the life of the flocks. Example: Males become sterile because of excess heat.
A bird's ability to fully absorb available nutrients is impaired when the intestinal tract is not healthy. Coccidiosis, enteritis, intestinal parasites or diseases of the intestinal tract will interfere with nutrient absorption, resulting in poor growth and non-uniform flocks. Often it is necessary to add drugs, antibiotics, vitamins, etc., to the feed in order to maintain the birds' health and promote the efficient utilization of nutrients.
Artificial lighting is needed to compensate for seasonal day length changes. Light intensity and length of daily light periods change the age at which pullets reach sexual maturity. Hold pullets on a constant day length until you have reached your target body weight and are ready to stimulate. Response to light stimulation is expected two or three weeks after the stimulus. Hens in production, in open-sided houses, should receive a minimum of 16 hours of light (natural and artificial) daily. They are seldom given over 18 hours of total light daily.
The feeding program is divided into the following phases:
Use good judgement in adjusting the amount of feed. Factors to consider include flock strain, age, average body weight, weekly body weight increase, uniformity, percentage weight distribution, environmental conditions, and flock health.
Recommended feeding programs for each phase are discussed as follows.
The starter ration should contain 18 percent to 20 percent protein and approximately 1340 M.E. calories per pound. The chicks should be allowed to consume 1.8 to 2.2 pounds each.
During the third week, begin every day controlled feeding, giving no more than eight pounds per 100 birds. During the fourth week, increase the feed to a maximum of 10 pounds per 100 birds and begin every-other-day feeding.
After the birds have consumed the starter feed change to the developer ration, with 15% to 16 percent protein. The energy level may vary from 1345 M.E. calories to 1360 M.E. calories per pound during the summer and winter. As the birds approach the eleventh week, it may be necessary to reduce the rate of weekly feed increases.
Feed restriction should be heaviest during this phase of growth. Take caution, but do not become alarmed if body weights are slightly below the average shown in the weight guide. This method will allow you to begin increasing body weight and feed allocation just prior to the onset of production. Protein intake during this phase should range from 9.5 to 11 grams on a daily basis. Higher levels of protein intake tend to cause lower production peaks.
During the pre-lay phase, begin to increase body weight. Coordinate the increase in feed supplied with the light stimulus. Protein intake should be increased to meet the needs of the growing reproductive system.
Begin every day feeding during the 22nd week of age. Feeding high levels of calcium too early can cause the bird's system to react negatively.
Start the breeder ration at the onset of lay. Lead the breeders into production with feed. When the hens reach 60 percent production on an individual day, try to be within 1 pound of anticipated peak feed level per 100 birds.
Challenge the birds to increase production with additional pounds of feed per 100 birds. The flock should respond with extra eggs approximately four days after extra feed is given. If there are no responses in production over a two week period the extra feed should be removed.
The breeders should be weighed to check their average body weight. It is advisable to evaluate egg weight changes, also. Upon reaching peak production you should begin reducing the quantity of feed given. Make adjustment for mortality. The quantity of feed reduction should be done on a daily basis if possible.
Two breeder rations may be used during the production period. A lower protein breeder ration can be used following peak production, thus reducing feed costs.
In hatching egg production, the males are important for ensuring adequate fertility. Since males are very important in producing good hatching eggs, give them extra attention:
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