How its Made Hatchery Chicks

Summary

The video script explores the chicken-egg conundrum by taking viewers through a hatchery's process of breeding baby chicks. It explains how fertilized eggs are incubated, their development monitored, and how chicks hatch. Post-hatch, chicks are separated, sexed, and vaccinated. The script also touches on the lifecycle of chickens, from egg-laying to meat production, highlighting the commercial aspects of chicken farming.

Takeaways

• 🐣 The age-old question of which came first, the chicken or the egg, remains unresolved, but the process of how baby chicks are bred can be observed in hatcheries.
• 🥚 Fertilized eggs are produced by hens mating, while unfertilized eggs are laid without mating and are the ones commonly consumed.
• 🌡️ Hatcheries mimic natural conditions with specific temperature and humidity levels to nurture the embryo within the fertilized eggs.
• 🔄 The incubation process involves trays of eggs shifting every hour to simulate the natural behavior of hens turning their eggs.
• 🕒 It takes approximately 18 and a half days for the eggs to hatch after incubation.
• 🚫 An infrared sensor helps identify and remove unfertilized eggs, which are then sent to a rendering plant for animal feed.
• 💉 Fertilized eggs are vaccinated against Marek's disease, a common poultry illness, using automated needles that inject the vaccine into the amniotic fluid.
• 🐥 Chicks emerge from their shells after using their beaks to crack them open, and they are able to walk and see shortly after hatching.
• 🔑 The gender of chicks is determined by the length of two rows of feathers; a difference in length indicates a female, while equal length indicates a male.
• 📦 Chicks are sorted into transportation boxes, with some being vaccinated against bronchitis if requested by clients.
• 🐓 Poultry farms raise chicks for either meat or egg production, with females reaching slaughter weight in about 38 days and starting to lay eggs at 20 weeks of age.

Q & A

What is the first step in commercial chicken farming?

The first step in commercial chicken farming is either breeding baby chicks from fertilized eggs or, if you consider the egg came first, the fertilization of eggs by mating.

How are fertilized eggs different from unfertilized eggs?

Fertilized eggs are those that have been fertilized by mating and will develop into chicks, while unfertilized eggs are laid by hens without mating and are typically used for human consumption.

What happens to the eggs at the hatchery?

At the hatchery, the eggs are transferred onto special trolleys and rolled into an incubator where temperature and humidity levels mimic natural conditions to nurture the embryo.

How often do the trays with eggs shift position in the incubator?

The trays with eggs shift position every hour, rotating 45° to the opposite side and back to simulate how hens turn their eggs.

What is the purpose of the infrared sensor in the hatchery?

The infrared sensor detects unfertilized eggs by identifying their too transparent color, and a suction device removes them to be used as animal feed.

What disease are the fertilized eggs vaccinated against at the hatchery?

The fertilized eggs are vaccinated against Marek's disease, a common poultry disease, using automated needles that inject the vaccine into the amniotic fluid.

How many eggs can be expected to hatch out of 168 eggs placed in hatching trays?

About 150 out of 168 eggs can be expected to hatch, with the rest either dying in incubation or having physical defects.

How long does it take for chicks to fully emerge from their shells after starting to crack them?

It takes chicks about 6 to 8 hours to fully emerge from their shells after they start cracking them.

What is the purpose of the separator machine in the hatchery?

The separator machine separates the chicks from the shells, with the shells remaining on top and the chicks falling onto a conveyor belt below.

How are the chicks classified according to gender at the hatchery?

Chicks are classified by workers who check two rows of feathers; if one row is shorter than the other, the chick is female, and if the rows are the same height, it's male.

What happens to the chicks after they are classified by gender?

After gender classification, the chicks are placed into specially designed transportation boxes, with some being vaccinated against bronchitis if requested by clients.

What is the difference in the timeline for egg-laying and meat production between male and female chicks?

Female chicks used for egg production begin laying eggs at about 20 weeks of age, while those for meat production reach slaughter weight in about 38 days. Males, depending on market size, take from 40 to 65 days.

Outlines

00:00

🐣 Hatchery Process and Chick Development

The script explores the age-old question of the chicken or the egg conundrum and delves into the process of how baby chicks are bred in a hatchery. It explains that fertilized eggs are laid by hens after mating, and these are the ones that hatch into chicks. The hatchery process begins with placing the eggs on trolleys and rolling them into an incubator that mimics natural conditions. Every hour, the trays rotate to simulate the natural behavior of hens turning their eggs. After 18 and a half days, the eggs are checked for fertilization using an infrared sensor, and unfertilized eggs are removed. Fertilized eggs are vaccinated against a poultry disease called marrick, and then transferred to hatching trays. On day 19, the chicks hatch, breaking through their shells after 6 to 8 hours. They are covered in down feathers and are mobile and sighted. After their down dries, they are separated from the shells using a separator machine. The shells are sent to a rendering plant for calcium, while the chicks are classified by gender. Chicks are then transported in boxes, with some being vaccinated against bronchitis. The script concludes by mentioning that female chicks used for egg production start laying at 20 weeks, while those for meat reach slaughter weight in 38 days, and males take 40 to 65 days depending on market size.

Keywords

💡Hatchery

A hatchery is a facility where eggs are hatched into chicks under controlled conditions. It is central to the theme of the video, which explores the process of commercial chicken farming. In the script, the hatchery is described as the place where fertilized eggs are taken after being laid, and where they are placed in an incubator to develop.

💡Incubator

An incubator is a device that maintains temperature and humidity to support the development of eggs into chicks. It is a key piece of equipment in a hatchery and is directly related to the video's focus on the early stages of a chick's life. The script mentions that eggs are rolled into an incubator where conditions mimic natural ones for the embryo's nourishment.

💡Fertilized eggs

Fertilized eggs are eggs that have been fertilized by a rooster and can develop into chicks. This concept is fundamental to the video's narrative, as it distinguishes between eggs that are eaten and those that become chicks. The script explains that fertilized eggs are the ones that go to the hatchery, highlighting their importance in the cycle of chicken farming.

💡Embryo

The embryo is the early developmental stage of a multicellular organism, in this case, a chick. The term is crucial to understanding the biological process depicted in the video. The script describes how the egg yolk, egg white, and shell all nourish the embryo, illustrating the critical role of the embryo in the life cycle of a chicken.

💡Infrared sensor

An infrared sensor is a device that detects infrared energy, which is used in the hatchery to identify unfertilized eggs by their transparency. This technology is showcased in the video as part of the automated process of sorting eggs, emphasizing the integration of technology in modern farming practices.

💡Vaccination

Vaccination is the process of administering vaccines to prevent disease. In the context of the video, chicks are vaccinated against Marek's disease, a common poultry illness. This keyword is significant as it reflects the measures taken to ensure the health of the chicks, which is essential for the success of commercial chicken farming.

💡Hatching trays

Hatching trays are specialized containers where eggs are placed to hatch. They are mentioned in the script as the destination for fertilized eggs after vaccination, highlighting the progression from incubation to hatching. The trays are part of the controlled environment necessary for successful hatching.

💡Chicks

Chicks are young chickens, and the video's narrative follows their development from fertilized eggs. The term is central to the video's theme, as it represents the end product of the hatchery process. The script describes the chicks' emergence from the shell and their initial physical characteristics, such as being covered in down feathers.

💡Separator

A separator is a machine used to separate the chicks from their shells after hatching. The keyword is relevant to the video's theme as it represents a step in the post-hatching process. The script mentions how the separator works, with shells staying on top and chicks falling to a conveyor belt below.

💡Gender classification

Gender classification is the process of determining the sex of chicks. This concept is important in the video as it influences the future use of the chicks, whether for egg production or meat. The script describes how workers check the feathers to determine the sex, with different conveyor belts for males and females.

💡Vaccination against bronchitis

This refers to an additional vaccination step for chicks that are destined for egg production. The keyword is significant as it shows another layer of health management in poultry farming. The script mentions that some clients request this extra vaccination, which is applied through an aerosol sprayer.

Highlights

The chicken or the egg dilemma is explored in a hatchery setting.

Chicks come from fertilized eggs, but hens can lay unfertilized eggs as well.

Unfertilized eggs are used for human consumption, while fertilized ones go to the hatchery.

Hatchery workers transfer eggs to special trolleys for incubation.

Incubators mimic natural conditions with controlled temperature and humidity.

Egg components nourish the embryo during incubation.

Trays shift every hour to simulate the natural turning of eggs by hens.

After 18.5 days, eggs are checked with an infrared sensor to detect unfertilized ones.

Unfertilized eggs are removed and sent to a rendering plant for animal feed.

Fertilized eggs are vaccinated against marrick, a poultry disease.

Automated needles inject vaccine into the amniotic fluid surrounding the embryo.

On day 19, chicks crack through their shells using their beaks.

Chicks emerge from the shell after 6 to 8 hours, covered in down feathers.

Workers separate chicks from shells using a separator machine.

Chicks are classified by gender using feather rows as indicators.

Gender-separated chicks are sent to different conveyor belts.

Chicks are counted using an optical counter to track males and females.

Chicks are transported in specially designed boxes, with 102 chicks per box.

Some chicks are vaccinated against bronchitis using an aerosol sprayer.

Females are raised for egg production and begin laying at 20 weeks of age.

For meat production, females reach slaughter weight in about 38 days, while males take 40 to 65 days.

Transcripts

which came first the chicken or the egg

it's an age-old question and we can't

give you the definitive answer but we

can take you to a hatchery to see how

baby chicks are bred it's the first step

in commercial chicken farming or the

second step if you think the egg came

first chicks come from eggs fertilized

by mating but a hand can lay eggs

without mating those un fertilized eggs

are the ones we eat the fertilized ones

go to the Hatchery 3 or 4 days after

being laid Hatchery workers transfer the

eggs onto special trolleys then roll

them into the incubator where the

temperature and humidity level mimic

natural conditions the egg yolk egg

white and shell all nourish the embryo

every hour the trays shift 45° to the

opposite side and back simulating how h

turn their eggs while waiting for them

to

hatch after 18 and 1/2 days the eggs

come out of incubation and go on to a

conveyor belt they pass under an

infrared sensor that detects any whose

color is too transparent these are

unfertilized eggs that slip

through the sensor triggers a suction

device to remove them they go to a

rendering plant to become animal

feed the fertilized eggs continue along

to the next station to be vaccinated

against marrick a poultry disease

automated needles Pierce a hole in each

shell and inject the vaccine into the

amniotic fluid surrounding the

chick now a suction device transfers the

eggs to hatching

trays 168 eggs per tray about 150 of

them can be expected to hatch the rest

died in incubation or have physical

defects day 19 the chicks use their

beaks to crack a hole through the shell

then a horizontal line all around after

6 to 8 hours the chicks finally emerge

from the

shell they're covered in short feathers

called down and they're able to walk and

see after about 4 hours their down has

dried now workers roll the chicks to

What's called the separator a machine

that separates the birds from the shell

haves the shells are larger than the

chicks so they stay on top while the

chicks fall down to a conveyor belt

below the shells which are high in

calcium go to a rendering

plant the chicks move on to be

classified according to

[Music]

gender workers put the females down one

Chute the males down another they

determine the sex by checking two rows

of feathers if one row is shorter than

the other the chick's a

female if the rows are the same height

it's a

male each shoot feeds a separate

conveyor

[Music]

belt an optical counter tracks the

number of males and

females

[Music]

the chicks now fall into specially

designed Transportation boxes 102 chicks

per box some clients request that their

order of chicks be vaccinated against

bronchitis those boxes pass under an

aerosol sprayer that sprinkles them with

a mild dose of

vaccine poultry Farms raise chicks for

either meat or eggs females used for egg

production begin laying eggs at about 20

weeks of age for meat production females

reach Slaughter weight in about 38 days

males depending on Market size take from

40 to 65

[Music]

days