Laboratory Exercise No.

UNDERSTANDING MATING, INCUBATION

AND BROODING

Introduction

Mating, incubation and brooding are three of important stages of the life cycle

of chicken. Mating simply means pairing of animals for breeding. Incubation is the process

of hatching eggs while brooding is the process of supplying supplemental heat to newly

hatched chicks. These three processes can be done either naturally or artificially.

Understanding these stages can assure the production of birds suitable for either broiler or egg production.

Objectives

Upon completion of this exercise, the students are expected to:

name the mating systems used for breeding chickens;

differentiate these mating systems;

explain egg formation;

discuss the brooding processes; and

 define some terms related to mating, incubation and brooding.

Materials

Hand-outs on Mating, incubation and brooding

CD showing egg formation and brooding process

Procedure

Review the lecture on mating systems, incubation and brooding

View the CD showing egg formation and brooding

Visit the broiler project in the university to observe the actual brooding

1. Differentiate pen mating from stud mating?

 Pen mating is where you put a rooster (or cockerel) with a group of hens (or pullets) in a single pen. The
rooster will mate with any of the hens in the pen, so you'll know the sire, but you won't know for certain which
hen the eggs came from (unless you use a trap nest).

While the stud mating the female is held in the stud for a known period of time (till mated) after which it is removed
and another is added. Two mating per week or at least once every 5 days is desirable for optimum fertility. This
method requires more labor and is rarely practiced now-a-days.

2. Discuss briefly the egg formation.

  The egg is framed in the conceptive parcel of a female chicken, called a hen. The regenerative plot is
partitioned into two significant parts: the ovary and the oviduct. The ovary is in the same place as the yolk
added. Whenever the yolk arrives at the right size, it is let out of the ovary by an interaction called ovulation.
The delivered yolk is then gotten by the infundibulum. It is here that treatment should accept place. The yolk
then, at that point, passes to the magnum, where the egg whites is added. It then happens to the isthmus for
the expansion of the shell films. The creating egg invests the vast majority of its energy in the shell organ,
where the shell and any shell colors are added. As the egg is being collected it goes down the oviduct little
end first. In the vagina it is pushed out the enormous end first. This keeps the egg from being defiled by
waste material when it is laid.

 Eggs are part of a hen’s reproductive system. When a

hen reaches maturity, lighting conditions trigger
hormones to start the egg laying cycle. It takes about 25
hours for a hen to create an egg from start to finish. As
soon as one egg is laid, the whole process starts all over
again and a new egg begins to form. Lucky us!

Birds are unique among animals because only the left ovary
fully matures to the stage where it releases eggs. A laying hen’s
ovary holds thousands of tiny ova, or future egg yolks.

It’s interesting to note that eggs are formed in layers starting from the inside out. Here’s how.

The Yolk – It starts with the yolk forming in the hen’s ovary. When the yolk reaches the right size, it is released in to
the oviduct, where the rest of the egg will form.

The White – In its journey through the oviduct, the next layer to be added is the egg white (albumen). This layer
takes about 3 hours to be formed.

The Shell Membrane – The next layer to be added in the oviduct is the shell membrane. This takes about 1.25
hours. It is a very thin layer between the egg white and the shell, and it almost looks like tissue paper. Have you
ever cracked an egg shell but the egg didn’t break? The shell membrane was still intact holding everything together.
The Shell – The egg then reaches the hen’s uterus, also known as the shell gland.
This is where the shell is added to the egg. The shell is also formed in layers over
the course of 19 hours, where pigment is also added. All egg shells begin as white.
Blue and brown pigments are added during the shell forming process. The color of
the pigment depends on the breed of chicken.

An interesting note about egg coloration. Brown pigment is added last in the
formation of an egg shell. It is only found on the surface of the egg. When you crack
open a brown egg, the inside of the egg shell will be white. Blue pigment is added
early in the shell formation process. The color will penetrate the entire shell. When
you crack open a blue egg, the inside of the shell will be blue. Green eggs are a
combination of brown and blue pigments. White eggs contain no pigment at all.

The Bloom – The bloom is the protective layer or cuticle that covers the egg shell and is the last layer added in egg
formation. It is added after the egg leaves the uterus, right before it exits from the hen’s vent. This coating seals out
bacteria and maintains the moisture inside the egg. Leaving the bloom intact will help keep your eggs fresher,
longer

3. How is an egg with dented egg shell formed?

 If the egg is too dry, the dry part may begin to cave in, and the eggs will dent. The proper humidity levels
should be between 85 and 95 percent. The ideal temperature range is between 80-90° degrees Fahrenheit
(32° C).

In senior layers, oddly shaped eggs can result from stress or, if they are a regular occurrence, a defective shell
gland. Misshapen eggs can also be caused by infectious bronchitis or egg drop syndrome, both of which are cause
for alarm. Shells with wrinkles or 'checks' in the shell are known as 'body check' eggs.

The eggshell is produced in the uterus or shell gland by the deposition of calcium carbonate. The eggshell formation
roughly takes about 20 hours. Calcium is deposited onto the shell through the blood stream. Eggshells in high
productive laying hens contain between 1.7 to 2.4 grams of calcium (average of 2 grams).

4. Characterize eggs fitted for incubation.

 Incubation, the maintenance of uniform conditions of temperature and humidity to ensure the development of
eggs or, under laboratory conditions, of certain experimental organisms, especially bacteria. The phrase
incubation period designates the time from the commencement of incubation to hatching.

Choose eggs that are 1.4 times longer than they are wide. Avoid misshapen or elongated eggs. Select only eggs of
good shape and of medium size, discarding very large and very small eggs. Eggs should be the correct colour for
your breed.
When it comes to selecting the right fertile eggs for incubation and hatching you need to take several factors into
account.

1.Clean sterile equipment.

2.The health and suitability of the parents.

3.All aspects of egg quality including size and shape.

5. Discuss the candling procedure

 Eggs are candled to determine the condition of the air cell, yolk, and white. Candling detects bloody whites,
blood spots, or meat spots, and enables observation of germ development. Candling is done in a darkened
room with the egg held before a light. The light penetrates the egg and makes it possible to observe the
inside of the egg.

The candler should be set on a box or table at a convenient height (about 38 to 44 inches from the floor), so the
light will not shine directly into the eyes of the operator. In candling, the egg is held in a slanting position with the
large end against the hole in the candler. The egg is grasped by the small end and, while held between the thumb
and tips of the first two fingers, is turned quickly to the right or left. This moves the contents of the egg and throws
the yolk nearer the shell. Because of the color of their shells, brown eggs are more difficult to candle than white
eggs.

To do a reasonable job, an extensive knowledge of candling is not necessary,

particularly if the eggs are all relatively fresh. One should be able to distinguish a
fresh egg from a stale egg and detect such abnormalities as bloody whites, blood
spots, meat spots, and cracked shells. In a fresh egg, the air space is plainly
visible and moves freely. The white is thin and clear. In a stale egg, the air space
is plainly visible and moves freely. The white is thin.

Most newly laid eggs are good quality. Eggs not over two or three days old, if held under good conditions, will meet
the specifications for Grade A. The only eggs to be removed by candling are those with bloody whites, blood or
meat spots, and cracked shells.
Steps in Candling Eggs

1.Place the light on the egg. When it comes to candling, you should do it in a completely dark room.

2.Identify the winners. The winners are the eggs that have successfully developed into an embryo. .

3.Identify your quitters.

4.Identify the yolkers.

5.Toss out the yolkers and the quitters.

6. Discuss briefly the procedure in brooding chicks.

 Brooding is defined as the management of chicks from one day old to about 8 weeks of age, and it involves
the provision of heat and other necessary care during chicks' early growing period. Brooding units are
designed to house chicks from one day old until they no longer need supplementary heat (0-8 weeks).
Growing pens are used from the end of the brooding period until the broilers are sold or the pullets moved
into permanent laying houses (up to 20 weeks). Laying pens or cages are used for pullets and hens from the
time they start laying until they are culled and sold at the end of the laying period (up to 78 weeks).

Management of Chicks in the Brooder

 Adjust the temperature as per the requirement of the chicks. In the case of oil heating, see that there is no
defect in the stove or lamp. Chicks should not have access to the heated parts of the lamp at any cost.
 Avoid a damp poultry house. You can use a deep litter system.
 Discourage litter eating by the chicks, scatter mash over egg case flats when the chicks are first taken out of
their boxes.
 Provide balanced standard mash.
 Keep provision for the entrance of fresh air.
 Provide clean, fresh water in front of the birds at least twice daily. (Read about the importance of water in
poultry farming)
 Chicks, after 3 weeks old may be provided chopped green grasses (to increase Vitamin A intake)
 Clean the brooders including feed hoppers daily.
 Follow a regular vaccination program.
 Avoid overcrowding as this will lead to slow growth and mortality. (Read 10 ways of preventing or reducing a
high mortality rate in poultry farming)
 Keep the brooder in such a place that cold wind and rain does not get in.
 Daily inspect the condition of birds and their faces for any sort of abnormality.
 Keep in touch with any veterinarian for help at the time of need.
 It is always advisable to check the fittings, temperature control, feed, and water trough arrangement before
shifting the chicks in the brooder.
7. How would you determine the right brooding temperature? Explain in detail. Support your answer with

illustration

 Proper brooding practices must maintain the chick's body temperature so that it does not have to

use energy to lose heat by panting or generate heat through metabolism. Research has shown that

the chick develops the ability to regulate its body temperature around 12 to 14 days of age.

If the temperature is right after six weeks of age, temperatures in the 18 to 21°C (65 to 70°F) range are desirable.
Some hatcheries will sell a 30 to 45cm (12 to 18") high corrugated cardboard that can be used to set up a brooder
that forms a circle around the heat lamp. The ring helps protect the birds from drafts and piling in corners.

8. Explain the following terms

A. Candling Candling is the process of holding a strong

light above or below the egg to observe the
embryo. A candling lamp consists of a strong
electric bulb covered by a plastic or aluminium
container that has a handle and an aperture.
The egg is placed against this aperture and
illuminated by the light.

B.D1 The DRD1 gene was chosen as a candidate

gene to analyze the genetic effect on chicken
egg production and broodiness traits. Like
other D1-like members, the chicken DRD1 is
an intronless gene and belongs to the
rhodopsin family.

C. D2 Lactobacillus acidophilus D2/CSL (CECT

4529) is a probiotic lactic acid bacteria isolated
from the intestine of chickens and represents a
natural solution to prevent intestinal dysbiosis
in laying hens and poultry for meat.

improves the health and productivity of

animals, both in quantitative and qualitative
terms (stronger eggshell, increased viscosity
of albumen.

naturally colonizes the gastrointestinal habitat

of poultry and lives in symbiosis with the
 animal, stimulating the immune system and
transfer of the naturally occurring microbiota to
the chick

improves digestive function by fermenting

carbohydrates and producing lactic acid, which
is an additional source of energy that can be
used by the host

D3 Vitamin D3 is an important nutrient for

chickens, especially for growing chicks and
laying hens. In young chicks, a vitamin D
deficiency can cause rickets, resulting in leg
and beak deformities. In hens, a vitamin D
deficiency adversely affects egg production
and can cause calcium deficiency. The need
for vitamin D depends to a large extent on the
ratio of calcium to phosphorus. The vitamin D
needs of poultry are increased several fold by
inadequate levels of calcium and (or)
phosphorus or by improper ratios of these
minerals in the diet.

Pips The pip is a disease of chickens and birds; for

centuries anyone with an unspecified lurgy
was often said to have the pip too. Giving
someone 'the pip' came to mean irritating and
depressing them.

Pip (any of various respiratory diseases in

birds, especially infectious coryza). (humorous
or colloquial) Of humans, a disease
(particularly the common cold or the flu),
malaise or depression

hardening After a month in the brooder house, chicks are

transferred to a bigger place on the ground
(hardening stage). The cage, which should
measure 1 foot per head, is used until the
chick reaches 2 ½ months. This process
allows the chicks to adapt and get stronger
before they are let loose in the range.

During the “hardening” phase, chicks are

separated from mother or removed from
brooder and fed on a formulated diet and other
diets until they are about 45 days old.

Reference:

TABINGA, G.A. and A.O. GAGNI. 1987. Poultry Production in the Philippines. UPL