![]() ![]() Late mortality can be reduced by using different incubation programs for different flock ages (El-Hanoun et al, 2012). ![]() However, despite oxygen entering the eggs more easily, the variability between eggshell porosity and thus late mortality persists, as an intrinsic characteristic of duck eggs. Increased conductance facilitates oxygen uptake by the late embryo. The mobilization of calcium carbonate from the inside of egg shell reduces shell thickness and frees pores previously blocked by calcium carbonate crystals. This process increases the risk of excessive evaporation and thus dehydration, which is easily overcome by increasing relative humidity (RH) during incubation.Įgg shell conductance also increases during incubation, because the shell becomes thinner and the number of pores increase during mineralization of the bones. It is essential that this process thoroughly removes the cuticle from every egg, to avoid variation in the batch. To equalize shell conductance within a batch of eggs, the cuticle is often removed by washing the eggs in a hypochlorite solution. In commercial duck incubation, variable cuticle thickness negatively influences hatchability. The cuticle - thicker on duck eggs than on those of the chicken - is a waxy, protein-rich layer that covers the pores of the egg shell, limiting the diffusion of water (= weight loss) and the exchange of carbon dioxide and oxygen. These features, the shell, porosity and cuticle depth of Peking duck eggs vary not only between flocks, but also within batches of eggs from a single flock. The porosity or conductance of the shell depends on the structure and density of the pores and shell thickness, including the cuticle. Peking duck eggs that weigh more than 100g are not exceptional. Finally, fully grown duck embryos suffocate due to an inadequate supply of oxygen.ĭuck eggs differ from chicken eggs in size and shell porosity. These embryos die during the fourth week of incubation as a result of insufficient water evaporation (= egg weight loss) from the eggs. In duck incubation, the most common challenge is the high number of so-called ‘drowned’ or ‘wet-embryos’. When electric supply is uncertain use of a standby generator is advocated.The incubation of Peking duck eggs is often thought more complicated than that of chicken eggs, primarily because of unfamiliarity with the specific properties of duck eggs that have an impact on incubation. Receipt of eggs from the farm and the delivery of chicks should be away from each other to reduce infection. Persons working in the hatchery should use showers, and change clothes and shoes before entering. It is a good practice to start the incubator and the hatcher at least 24 hours before setting the eggs to maintain a constant temperature. Fumigation should preferably be done-at the end of the working day and then the rooms closed. Potassium permanganate may be placed in a glass or earthenware container and formalin poured over it. Fumigation is usually done with formaldehyde gas using 40 ml of 40 per cent commercial formalin and 20 g of potassium permanganate for each 2♸ m3 of space inside the incubator or hatcher. This reduces the incidence and spread of diseases. They should be properly cleaned, disinfected and fumigated to kill disease organisms before storing and after transfer of eggs to the hatcher. ![]() Hatchery ManagementĪt the beginning of hatching season the incubator and hatchers should be thoroughly checked for their functioning and defects, if any, rectified. Incubators, which provide similar environment as that of broody hens, but more efficiently, are used at present for hatching of eggs. This method of hatching is highly unsatisfactory for large-scale production of baby chicks. Only 10 to 12 eggs can be put under 1 hen. Desi hens proved to be ideal for this purpose. In early days eggs were hatched by placing them under broody hens. Hatching of eggs refers to the production of baby chicks. ![]()
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