Practice and Principles The Turkey Hatchery Kim Critchley A Summary of Hatchery Practice and Principles kimcritchley@hotmail.com

The Turkey Hatchery Overview While turkey hens will hatch eggs naturally, artificial incubation has its advantages. Most turkey hens are poor mothers (varying with breed and individuals) resulting in poult losses. They may also go broody and not lay.

The Turkey Hatchery To produce the most poults possible during the limited breeding season, artificial incubation keeps flock egg production up and newly hatched poults safer.

The Turkey Hatchery The size may vary but the principles don’t!

The Turkey Hatchery Egg Cleaning Dirty eggs intended for hatching can be cleaned by removing any debris or dirt on the shell surface with a clean dry rag or a mild abrasive (steel wool, sandpaper). This may remove the cuticle, a barrier to microbes. Washing is not recommended but some people do (need right temp and good sanitiser)

The Turkey Hatchery Egg Storage The storage of turkey eggs will affect their hatchability. Can be done by allowing them to cool slowly and then holding at around 18ºC. Not advised to store more than 5-6 days.

The Turkey Hatchery Pre setting Preheat eggs at 22 ºC for 10-12 hr before starting the incubation process. If the number of eggs is too small to fill the incubator, different batches might be done together. Then sectional temperature control becomes important as each section may need different conditions.

The Turkey Hatchery Pre setting Usually, eggs are placed within 5-6 days of lay; if stored longer increase incubation expected by 1hr/per additional day of storage. Also take account of the breed and flock age.

The Turkey Hatchery Temperature In incubators with a circulation fan, the temperature needs to be maintained at 37.5 degrees C. In a still-air incubator, add 1 to 1.5 degrees. In both, measure the temperature as close to the eggs as your equipment allows. A remote sensor thermometer is ideal for monitoring an incubator.

The Turkey Hatchery Humidity Needs to be maintained between 55% and 60% relative humidity. The developing embryo relies on liquid evaporating over the incubation period. Too much humidity and the albumen will not dry sufficiently and the developing poults drown. Too little and so too dry, the poults stick to the shell.

The Turkey Hatchery Air cell size with time (days) during incubation

The Turkey Hatchery Humidity Use either a wet bulb thermometer or a hygrometer. While the wet bulb thermometer method is more accurate, using it is somewhat complicated, and it is only accurate if done correctly. Shop carefully when buying a hygrometer and be sure that its accuracy is guaranteed by the manufacturer.

The Turkey Hatchery Humidity The principle behind the wet and dry bulb thermometers

The Turkey Hatchery Ventilation The shell is porous and developing poults needs oxygen transfer through the shell. Once the poults "pip“, fresh air in the incubator is vital. Ventilation is a balancing act. Increasing ventilation may decrease humidity and temperature, hence must be at a rate that allows maintenance of temperature and humidity.

The Turkey Hatchery Ventilation The quality of the air outside the incubator is vital as well. If the incubator is in a closed room, the incubator is bringing in the same stale air it just vented out. Make sure that the air in the room where the incubator is located is freshly vented, as well.

The Turkey Hatchery Turning Eggs need to be placed in the incubator with the large end slightly elevated. They need turning on their axis 5 to 7 times a day. Place two different markings on opposite sides of the egg. This makes it easy to make sure all eggs have been turned properly.

The Turkey Hatchery Turning Handle the eggs carefully in the very early days of the incubation. The embryos developing circulation system is very fragile in the early days. The eggs should not be turned the last three days of incubation.

The Turkey Hatchery Monitoring Incubating eggs’ progress can be checked by candling. This allows you to see the embryo's development. Eggs not developing properly should be disposed of to prevent contamination of the viable eggs.

The Turkey Hatchery Candling Chart

The Turkey Hatchery Hatch day In the final days, ventilation and humidity need to be increased. Humidity is crucial at this point, and when you open the incubator, humidity will plummet. If you help one poult break out of its shell, you're likely to cause several others to become bound in shells that have dried out too much at the critical moment.

The Turkey Hatchery Pull poults when they are visually ready for take off, not ‘on the clock’. The optimum time is when 90-95 per cent are dry. The last 5-10 per cent of poults may be wet around the neck. When poults are collected earlier, too many poults will be classified as second class, because they are not completely dry.

The Turkey Hatchery So, leave them alone and just watch. If all goes according to plan, you'll have lots of happy, healthy poults, ready to move to the brooder.

The Turkey Hatchery Egg breakout

The Turkey Hatchery Late Breakout End of hatch. At this point, it is possible to determine the time of embryo mortality. Early-dead (1 to 7 days) Middle-dead (8 to 21 days) Late-dead (22 to 28 days).

The Turkey Hatchery Breakout Common problems: Malposition; the poult’s head should be at the air cell end of the egg and be under the right wing (expect 1-4% to be wrong). Infection; rotten or see abnormal yolk sac. Confirm fertility

The Turkey Hatchery Machine Cleaning and Fumigation Remove all debris and wash down with detergent (pressure if available). Follow up with fumigation e.g. with a long acting disinfectant. Hatcheries may get a build-up of Aspergillus fungus, use an antifungal (Econazole fumigant).