Objective
To provide optimum care for the hatching eggs until they are transported to the hatchery in order to maintain maximum hatching potential. Persons responsible Breeder farm manager and personnel assigned to collect, grade and store eggs until they are transported to the hatchery.
Documents
Recording Form 2A: Egg transport card.
Recording Form 2B: Egg receipt form.
Recording Form 2F: Egg storage room: climate conditions.
Definitions
Refer to glossary for definitions of underlined terms.
Recommended procedure
1. Ensure sufficient, comfortable and easily accessible nest space according to the specifications in the specific Parent Stock Management Guide taking local conditions into consideration. Avoid direct light and draughts into the nests.
2. Keep nests clean at all times. Extra care for nest hygiene should be given at least 1 time per week.
3. Wash and disinfect hands before each egg collection.
4. Collect eggs from the nest at least 4 times per day in case of manual litter nests and at least 2 times per day from automatic roll away nests under the condition that temperature on the egg transport belt is 20 – 22 °C / 68 – 72 °F. At lower and higher temperatures, the frequency of egg collection should be increased.
5. Avoid shocks and jolting in handling in order to prevent damage to the fragile embryonic structure and hairline
cracks in the shell.
6. Aim at eggs uniformly cooling down from 41 °C / 106 °F (the hen’s body temperature and thus the egg temperature at oviposition) to between 22 and 25 °C / 72 and 77 °F in approximately 6 hours. Too fast and too slow cooling down should be avoided. Therefore, maintain a temperature of 20 – 22 °C / 68.0 – 72 °F in the egg collection room.
7. Separate non-hatching eggs from hatching eggs. Also keep floor eggs separate.
8. Record the number of hatching eggs and non-hatching eggs (optionally per category, such as double yolks, cracked eggs, floor eggs etc.) into the daily breeder farm records.
9. Place hatching eggs on well-designed egg trays (paper or plastic) or setter trays with sharp end down. Avoid the use of floppy trays and do not over stack.
10. Print the farm and house number and country of origin clearly on each egg if this is required by legislation.
11. Place the egg trays in egg containers or boxes after all the eggs have cooled down to 22 – 25 °C / 72 – 77 °F. Place setter trays in farm trolleys and allow eggs to cool down gradually before placement in the egg storage room.
12. Supply each (full) egg container or box or farm trolley with Recording Form 2A: Egg transport card on which egg ID code, production date and egg numbers are listed.
13. Place the egg containers/boxes/farm trolleys in the egg storage room until they are collected to be transported to the hatchery.
14. Maintain recommended climate conditions in the egg storage room depending on the intended duration of storage or as agreed with the hatchery manager (see table below).
15. Monitor the climate conditions daily and record them on Recording Form 2F: Egg storage room: climate conditions.
16. Check proper functioning of any thermometers and hygrometers at regular intervals by comparing with a calibrated device. Record the date of checking on Recording Form 2F: Egg storage room: climate conditions.
17. Complete Recording Form 2B: Egg receipt form prior to transport to the hatchery and sign the form. This recording form contains technical data about the parent flock and the quantity and quality of the delivered eggs.
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