Breeder, layer continued

1. Breeder, layer continued

2. Egg Candling • Candling allows examination of embryo development • After 10 days of incubation, use a small flashlight and place it on the large end of the egg while in a dark room • Examine and determine normal embryo development at 10 days • Break open unhatched eggs (residue breakout) to determine fertility or embryo death

3. Store bought egg Undefined, hard to tell if there's a chick developing Chick developing Spots like this may indicate bacterial contamination Air cell Chick developing

4. Hatchability

5. Chick Pull and Processing • Chicks separated, graded by quality, counted • Vaccination

6. Factors Influencing Chick Size • Egg size • Chick weight 66-68% of egg weight • Moisture loss during incubation • Length of time between setting and pulling chicks from hatchers • Date at which incubation began

7. Brooding Chicks • Start chicks at 90 to 92oF • Lower temp ~ 5oF each week thereafter • Use a solid brooder guard if you have a large area you are raising the chicks • Feed and water chicks immediately after they are placed in brooding area • Provide access to food and fresh water at all times!

8. Brooder Ideas

9. Just right Too hot Too cold Too drafty

10. Importance of Water • Water is the forgotten nutrient • It must be clean, and cool at all times • Don’t create a soup of bacteria! • Adding vitamins or electrolytes in the water is also very helpful

11. Ambient Environment • In addition to air temperature • Don’t allow birds to be exposed to air drafts • But. . . Birds need fresh air • Keep birds dry • Keep pens (floor) dry

12. How It Used to Be Done in 1926

14. Do we need to reinvent the wheel? • NO! How it used to be done is not bad • However, we do know much more about birds today than anyone has ever known, . . . We can and should utilize this information!