2.4. The hatchery

The hatchery comprises:

- An egg reception room where the eggs are placed in drawers.

- An egg storage room (see storage conditions page 33)

- A disinfection room

- An incubator (incubation period 18 days) whose capacity must be three times that of the hatcher.

- A hatching room (duration: 3 days)

- A chick packing room

- A drawer washing room

- A storage room for packing and shipping materials

- A shower, office and canteen block.

The main hatchery equipment comprises: the incubator, hatcher and ventilation system to extract polluted air.

Choice of site

The hatchery will be located close to the breeder unit for frequent harvesting and controlled storage of hatching eggs.

When the hatchery is an integral part of a breeder unit, care must be taken to locate it after the prevailing winds have swept over the breeder houses.

Production capacity

Production capacity of around 10,000 to 20,000 chicks per week is equivalent to the smallest size of industrial unit which is perfectly suitable for the markets of the Sahelian zone. Such production requires three incubators and one hatcher able to contain 12,500 to 25,000 eggs with a hatching rate of 80%.

It will be noted that up to 2 hatchings per week are possible with the same hatcher, if there are six incubators.

Recommendations

- For hygiene reasons, do not exceed two hatchings per week.

- Do not produce broilers and layers at the same time, as the latter, having a long biological cycle, should not be contaminated by birds with a short biological cycle.

- Prohibit all movement of staff and materials from the dirty area (hatcher) to the clean area (incubator).

- Follow the temperature and hygrometry standards required for the proper operation of the machines which have to work at a constant temperature: incubator 37/38°C and hatcher 37.4°C which requires room temperature of 23 to 25°C and relative humidity of 50 to 60%.

- With ambient temperatures which can sometimes reach 40°C, every effort must be made to lower the temperature by 16°C by: insulating roofs using local housing insulation techniques the houses (straw, reeds), producing iced water from a coldroom compressor and a copper coil placed in an insulated tank, allowing recycling of cooling water in the event of a break in water supply.

- Check the security arrangements with a 24 hour, manual reset alarm system. A generator with a permanent stock of diesel is essential.

- Installing a hatchery is a matter for a specialist. Find one who has experience of hot climates.