![]() In Nigeria it has received little attention and because of this most of the local farmers adopt the traditional method of hatching of birds. This surely will give a healthy chick, which is a product of good incubating conditions.ĭay-old chicks are in short supply in Nigeria and some parts of West Africa due to inadequate number of hatchers. This new model of incubator will avoid manual labour from the poultry farmer, ensure high efficiency by constant closure of the incubator (the guard against heat loss due to opening) and heat supply. ![]() This automated incubator employs the electricity for its heating and turning of eggs thereby eliminating the old method of opening the incubator to turn the eggs by slanting with hand opposite to the position which it had earlier been placed. And hence, most if not all incubators are built based primarily on the constant temperature hatching principle. Then it was found that if a number of eggs were put in some form of box, and heat was applied fairly evenly across the eggs, at the end of three weeks, a small percentage of the eggs would be able to hatch. All these now make a conservative approach in poultry farming to ensure high productivity and minimize losses common to the primitive methods of poultry keeping (Abiola, 2009). In our rural areas, a lot of hens lay eggs in good numbers but only a few are hatched due to the low efficiency of natural hatching, especially during the heavy rains and harmattan periods, and due to diseases which cause insufficiency in the number of chicks (Adewumi et al, 2015). This creates a kind of discontinuity in meat production and such delay can lead to shortage in the protein requirement of the society (Adewumi et al, 2015). Even though it is possible to separate the hen from chicks immediately after hatching, the hen is likely to stay up to 14 days before a new set of eggs are laid. This is highly inefficient and cannot meet up with the increasing need for eggs and meat in a society with a high population like ours. This takes a maximum of 12 to 15 eggs for a set of hatching which normally does not occur more than three times a year. Naturally, in our society, we depend solely on natural hatching of eggs under a hen. The act of rearing birds dates back to the history of man. This is the more reason why attention should be given to adequate production of chicks in large quantities. This is a way of generating income to the country thereby improving the economy of the nation. As a source of food, its rearing in large quantity can sustain the economy of a country by providing adequate supply of eggs and meat for both domestic consumption and export to other neighboring countries who are in dare need with a limited supply (Akinyosove, 2010). The food referred to here implies the meat we eat from them (which has become an essential part of every home today) and the eggs hatched by them for either consumption by man or for continuity in life cycle of birds(Abiola, 2009).įrom the foregoing, birds are very important to man necessitating the need to maximize its production. As pets, they are needed for the company of man and his comfort, but more seriously, we keep birds for the purpose of obtaining meat from them. I turn my eggs 3 times each day, so it is always a different side overnight.In a modern society like ours, birds are reared for two reasons as pets and as source of food. This keeps the developing embryo from sticking to shell wall and deforming. It's also important to turn the eggs a few times each day. I've found a wetted sponge does the trick. It can been difficult to keep the humidity high enough during dry Winter months. You also need to maintain the humidity around 40-50% for the first 18 days, then increase to 60-70% the last 3 days. This will automatically turn off the lightbulb when it gets too hot, and turn it back on again when within the desired range. Purchase a water heater thermostat and wire it into the power source.Buy a dimmer switch for plug-in lamps ($5 at the hardware store), and play around with the brightness until you find the right temp.Cut small holes in the lid until you find the right temperature (you can always tape over them if you overdo it).Here are some options for fine tuning the temps: And you need to hold that temperature for 21 days. The hard part is fine-tuning the temperature! Hatching chicks requires a very fine tolerance, 99 to 102 degrees F. ![]()
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