There are specific reference dates and procedures to follow and understand when incubating eggs in order to get the highest rate of success and fertility with your eggs. You need to know the time, the clutch, your environment and your specific bird species. You need to know the right information whether you are a smallholder farmer or you are running a commercial poultry farm in Kenya. Here is how to go about hatching chickens, ducks, turkeys, geese, quail and muscovy ducks.
Incubation Periods for Common Farm Birds
Each bird species has different incubation period. (reference chart for East African poultry keeping):
| Bird Species | Incubation Period | Notes
|--------------------|-------------------|------
| Chickens (layers) | 21 days |10 days longer than the standard time for most local and hybrid breeds
| Ducks | 28 days | Includes kienyeji and Pekin types
| Turkeys | 28 days | More sensitive to humidity need 65-70% humidity in the last few days
Geese, h. Geese are such a poorly studied species that no figure is available. Geese, h. Muscovy ducks take up to 35 days.
| Quail | 17 days | Early hatching, fast hatching, suitable for small scale experiments
The recommended guidelines for how long it takes to incubate and hatch a chicken are:
Example: if the data were for 10 sitting hens, in Kenya, you could expect to replace from 150 chicks in one hatch, providing eggs are carefully hatchery- selected and handled correctly. Check the time limits for each species carefully important if eggs are removed before hatching!
Clutch Sizes and Egg Selection
Clutch size: number of eggs laid before commencement of incubation. Though varies by species and health, the following are typical ranges:
Chickens 10-15 eggs per clutch.
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Ducks: 8-12 eggs in each clutch
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Toms: 10-15 eggs/ clutch
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Geese: 8-12 eggs per clutch
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Quail: 10-15 eggs per clutch
Egg Selection Criteria:
- Small or irregularly round/spherical eggs do not occur (bad developmental potential)
‐ Select room temperature eggs (not refrigerated or overheated)
-Screen for clean eggs (only wash when essential with dry towels){10}
From The Poultry Site, you can see that poor choice of egg has a potential to lower hatch rates by 40%.
Temperature and Humidity Control
Precise conditions are essential for successful development of the embryo. Use digital incubator with automatic control or look after it manually by using thermometers and hygrometers.
Chicken Egg Incubation Requirements
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“day 1 to 18”: 37.5C (99.5F), 50-60% humidity
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[D19-D21] 37.5°C, 65-70% humidity
Duck and Turkey Hatching Parameters
- Day 1-25: 37.5°C, 55-60% humidity
-Temperatures during last 3 days: 37.5°C and 70-80% humidity
Monitoring Tips
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For measuring humidity, utilize a wet-bulb thermometer
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Set a water tray in the incubator to balance the moisture.
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Do not open the incubator while pipping is when the chick chick, cheeping inside the shell.
For quail and guinea fowl decrease humidity slightly (45-50%) at the beginning to reduce the dehydration rate (gain of moisture).
Egg Turning and Candling Techniques
Turning Frequency
Eggs should be turned 4-6 times a day during incubation in order to prevent adhesion of the embryo to the shell. The turning should be ceased 3 days prior to hatch as the embryo will have assumed the pipping position. Maintain a turning log to record progress.
Candling for development Testovit is developed with focus on the needs of both the user and the developmental process. Candling has been developed to clarify the status of the breed by showing good conformation, in conjunction with the development of the breed.
Candle eggs at 7 and 14 days to assess viability:
C1.7. Day 7: a pattern of blood vessels resembling a spiderweb.
- (Day 14) Look for a (large air cell,) active embryo movement.
Eliminate eggs with “rotting odors” or “no development” after 14 days.
Post-Hatching Care and Management
When chicks are pipping, the activity should be reduced in the incubator and allow 12-24 hours for total hatching. following hatching:
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Keep chicks warm (29-32 C) for 48 hours This means using heat lamps from the outset and possibly further heating initially.
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to replenish fluids contains electrolytes, such as minerals and salts 1g/L): Supply drinking water Enrehydrate! This will stimulate the drinking animal to begin to eat and feed after a few hours.
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Provide proteinefficient feed mash 20-22% for 2 weeks a. Dry feed mash before feeding. This intensive feed mash should be poured to the surface of water, don‘t feed deep into water. b. Remove minute feeds which have not been eaten within 5 minutes. c. Water temperature should be in control.
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Watch out for weak chicks (separate and hand-feed if it is weak)
Guinea keets- very sensitive to cold and dew. Do not leave them on the dew until the first moult (until 4-6 weeks of age).
Key Equipment and Resources for Kenyan Farmers
Invest in the following for optimal results:
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Incubators: Select incubators that have adjustable temperature, automatic egg turning and humidity control until candling.
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digital thermometers/hygrometers to ensure appropriate conditions are maintained throughout extraction
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Candling lamps (LED or phone attachments)
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Brooder boxes with heat lamps to look after chicks after they hatch
Conclusion
A successful incubating in Kenya, in fact, is by applying both knowledge and practice to the right condition needed. If you follow the time plan depending on the different species, keep the temperature/humidity controlled value properly, and buy the good quality eggs, you will get the hatch rate 75-85% in chicken, and 60-70% in duck and turkey. Please be reminded that you should normally adjust your practicing body, according to the surrounding weather, and ask the poultry persons for specific breed.
Who is ready to increase their hatch rates?
Visit Poultry Market Kenya to:
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Buy incubators, brooders and hatching machine
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Source hatching eggs that are certified from local farms
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Become part of the biggest community of poultry producers in Kenya
If this was useful and helpful, please support by following, liking, commenting and sharing this platform/blog. Thank you so much. References: -Use Poultry market AI for best insights from the vast number of best poultry books it has been Poultry AI -Read our chicken vaccination guide here
