Egg Management From Nest to Incubator Glenn Bushell Norway February 2017

Presentation Outline Hygiene Handling Selection Storage

Hygiene The first 3 minutes…

How well we doing? How well are you managing the handling and collection of eggs? How do you know? Feedback from the hatchery

Bangers!!! Ross 308 Farm x House 1. 47 wks. Farm x House 2. Ross standard 46- 50 wks. Infertile 11,6 8,5 5,5 24hr 0,4 0,3 0,5 48hrs 1,2 1,3 1,0 Bloodring 1,1 2,1 2,5 Eye 0,8 1,5 Mid dead 3,5 Late Dead Dead pip 0,7 Cracks 0,1 0,6 Dead and culls % Hatch 82,0 79,5 86 Early rot Late rot 3,7 Bangers!!!

The eggs natural defence Cuticle The cuticle: a thin, organic coating that covers the outside of the egg.

Function of the cuticle The cuticle is the first barrier against the penetration of bacteria The cuticle of a fresh laid egg is wet, is still forming and it takes about 3 minutes to dry. When the cuticle is wet, the chance on penetration of bacteria is much higher than the cuticle has dried.

When is the hygiene status of a hatching egg determined? In the 1st 3 minutes after lay !  Temperature of 41°C ↓  Cooling down = shrink Negative pressure in the egg  Air is drawn in through the pores  Creation of the aircell A chicken egg has between 6000 and 10000 pores, concentrated at the blunt side of the egg.

1 mm = 1000 micrometer Average thickness of the egg shell is 375 micrometer X 965 1 mm = 1000 micrometer

1 mm = 1000 micrometer Thickness of eggshell: 375 micrometer Diameter pore: 11 micrometer Diameter E. coli bacterium: 0,5 – 2 micrometer.

Bacterial counts hatching eggs Freshly laid egg: 300 bacteria/mm2 Clean egg (cooled down): “Clean” Floor egg: Dirty egg: 3.000 bacteria/mm2 30.000 bacteria/mm2 300.000 bacteria/mm2

Hygiene status of hatching eggs EXTERNAL hygiene status of hatching eggs: Outside of the shell: disinfection INTERNAL hygiene status of hatching eggs: Inside of the shell: is “fixed” in the first 3 minutes, after this nothing can be done …………………..

The first 3 - 5 minutes after an egg has been laid are the most critical minutes for the prevention of an (internal) bacterial contamination. Therefore it is important that an egg does not come into contact with contamination and that the surroundings are as free as possible from bacteria.

The first 3 - 5 minutes after an egg has been laid are the most critical minutes for the prevention of an (internal) bacterial contamination. Therefore it is important that an egg does not come into contact with contamination and that the surroundings are as free as possible from bacteria. Best PRACTICE

Eggproduction per linear meter nest mat? 90 hens/ linear meter nest = 45 hens/ linear meter nest mat. Ross 308: average 175,2 produced eggs/60 wks. Top 25%: average 181,9 produced eggs/60wks. = Between 7500 and 8000 eggs per meter of nestmat

Clean dry hands! Minimise manual handling Wash hands before handling and dry them! Wet hands, wet the egg, absorb bacteria

Hatching egg hygiene Timing of feeding.  Feed 2 hours after lights on to reduce floor laid eggs. Start to collect floor eggs while the birds are feeding 3-4 lifts per day for the first few weeks until numbers drop to acceptable levels Then as necessary

Managing the nest hygiene Mats clean at the start of lay Close off nests to prevent roosting at night Check for and remove dead birds Have a supply of spare mats, routine replacement of soiled mats One complete replacement during the production period at least

Egg Selection

Egg selection- good quality Grading –use visibly clean eggs A clean egg has never been dirty! Cleaning (buffing) can fill the pores Shell quality  no cracked eggs  no thin shelled eggs  no abnormal egg shells  no hair line cracks

Egg storage Do not store eggs too cold, they will sweat when removed from the egg store and help bacterial contamination

Problem areas Egg store door left open during hot weather Egg store temperature control insufficient, with high diurnal variations in hot weather due to insufficient cooler capacity or insulation No air circulation Trolleys held outside store prior to loading the egg collection vehicle Egg collection vehicle not cooled Farm and hatchery stores held at different temperatures Over-long pre-warm, in an environment fluctuating around physiological zero

Fan On – Trollies spaced apart 40cm 35cm 20cm

Core egg temperature variations Top = 17.3 oc* *Average core egg temperature Bottom = 15.6 oc*

Potential areas of loss Egg shell quality Fragile - careful egg handling to avoid disruption to cells Cracks & hairline cracks - contamination Nest box hygiene - contamination Correct collection times and frequency Method of egg sanitation – wet & dry Storage – fluctuations (time & temperature & gradients) Transportation (good suspension on vehicles) CONTAMINATION Unfortunately, many factors can transpire against our objective! Pre-warming– sweating & contamination & early deaths

Summary (1 of 2) Each fertile hatching egg has the potential to produce a quality chick Once laid we must ‘arrest’ any development of the embryo and minimise any potential contamination (bacterial or fungal)

Summary (2 of 2) Factors which influence shell, albumen or yolk quality will often affect hatchability through specific effects on embryonic mortality If egg handling is the problem the early dead will increase but the late dead will not increase By practicing proper egg handling you will help to ensure excellent hatchability and produce first class quality chicks