Troubleshooting Hatch and Analysis

Normal Pattern of Embryo Loss

Hatchery management literatures use this  curve as baseline of embryo losses during incubation.

higher; minimal; rises

In normal conditions, mortality is usually in the first week of incubation process, in middle period and __ again in the last few days of incubation.

Infertile

0 Day - No obvious sign of development

24h (Early Dead)

1 day - Cream colored extra-embryonic membranes occupying area up to one cm diameter

48h (Early Dead)

2 day - Cream colored extra-embryonic membranes occupying area up to three cm diameter

Blood Ring

2.5-4 days - Obvious “Blood Ring” and the beginning of formation of the sub-embryonic fluid

Black Eye

5-12 days - The black pigmentation of the embryo’s eye is obvious. The wings and legs can be seen as well

Feathers

13-17 days - Feathers present. Although the first feathers are seen as early as 11 days, they are often not obvious over the entire body until 13 days of age

Turned

18-19 days - The embryo is moving from the “head between thighs” position to the hatching position and the yolk remains outside the body of the embryo

Internal Pip

External Pip -

20 - The beak of the embryo has come through the inner cell membrane into the air cell OR The beak of the embryo has broken through the eggshell

Early Rot - Deep discoloration of the egg contents with emission of rotten odour

0-10

Late Rot

11-21 - Obvious embryo with deep discoloration of the egg contents and emission of rotten odours

Early Dead

0-7 - Any death in the first week of incubation. The end of this period is delineated by the appearance of the egg tooth on the end of the beak

Mid Dead

8-14 - Embryos with an egg tooth, but feather development is not immediately obvious over the entire body

Late Dead

15-19 - Well feathered embryo almost filling the egg. The yolk may be external to the body, or may be retracted

External Pip

20 - The beak of the embryo has broken through the eggshell

Contaminated

0-21 - Deep discoloration of the egg contents with emission of rotten odours

Troubleshooting

Identification of, or “diagnosis of trouble” in the hatchery management process caused by a failure of one or multiple factors.

Process of determining and remedying the causes of any hatchery issues.

Determining the most likely causes (a process of elimination), afterwards taking appropriate corrective actions.

1. first week mortality

2. sudden drop in hatch performance

3. overall performance is continually below standard

Identify what are the issues

1. Not sending out poor quality  chicks to broiler farms

2. Always refer to Bounty guidelines on the Acceptable and Not Acceptable chicks

3. Carry out quality checks; look at the quality of the chicks in the chick holding room before delivery

Grading / Selection

Performance history

Break – out / Embryo diagnosis records

Hatching Egg

Quality

Storage Period

Machine operation and Maintenance log

Setter

Hatcher

Ventilation

Operation

Transfer

Chick processing

Personnel/Management changes

Points of Investigation

Performance History

Need to measure or have record of specific incubators performance to know if problematic hatch is machine related.

Break - out

Embryo diagnosis or egg necropsy;  provide information on the identified cause of hatch failure based on assessed time and nature of embryonic death.

Hot weather

can cause spike of early deaths due to pre-incubation.

Cold weather

causing lower egg temperature and delayed on hatching times.

Health status, vaccination program, management, personnel, process, others?

First to check – what has been changed on this particular hatch?

Steps in Troubleshooting