HATCHIEVES

HATCHERY INFORMATION SERIES

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Hygiene/Biosecurity
What is Hygiene and Biosecurity?
Hygiene is the principles of maintaining health – by cleanliness/
sanitary science.
Biosecurity is a continual, committed enforcement of activities
and practices to maintain and produce disease-free chicks and
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prevent/contain the spread of diseases in the event of an outbreak. In summary:

• Keep it Simple
This can be achieved using a ‘3 Step Plan’: • Keep it Practical
• Keep it Targeted
A. Know the risks – egg supply, vehicles, staff, suppliers, wild birds, • Get Buy-In
rodents, insects and neighbours (other poultry operations).
What are the risks?
B. Implement targeted interventions – follow biosecurity rules, Infection/contamination from microorganisms including :-
restrict access, keep a log book, no avian contact, set clear goals • Algae
with guiding principles, audit and check for conformity in all areas, • Slime Moulds
rodent control, wild bird proofing and containment of waste. • Rickettsia
• Bacteria
C. Create a culture: • Mycoplasma Important for
• Training – everyone follows the rules ‘LIVE IT’ • Viruses hatcheries
• Awareness – knowing the risks • Fungi (including, moulds and yeasts)
• Auditing – monitoring to ‘inspect what we expect’ • Protozoa

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Bacteria
Bacteria require: Controlling bacteria:
• Food
• Air 1. Remove the bacterial food supply – broken eggs, debris, etc
• Water
• Warmth 2. Remove the bacterial water supply – any area of dampness

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• Shelter/Protection is an oasis at which millions of bacteria can thrive. Repair leaks,
prevent standing water, high levels of humidity, etc.
Unfortunately, in incubation we are exposed to:
• Food (eggs) 3. Remove bacterial havens – use ‘easy
• Air (ventilation) to clean’ materials, seal all cracks/holes,
• Water (humidity) remove clutter (try and think of each
• Warmth (temperature) room as just a floor, ceiling and walls
• Shelter (difficult places to clean) and everything else that goes into the
room MUST be essential, as it dilutes
Conditions provided for incubating eggs are also those that are best the effectiveness of your cleaning).
for incubating bacteria.
4. Remove warmth - you cannot remove warmth from obvious
Good hatchery management is aimed at providing conditions that do areas like incubator and hatcher rooms, but in many cases,
not favour bacterial growth and survival. ancillary rooms are often kept a lot warmer than they need to be,
allowing bacterial growth.

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Moulds

Moulds are microscopic fungi

Their threadlike filaments can grow together on a surface into a
matted network known as mycelium. Moulds grow fastest at high
levels of humidity and at temperatures between 20 and 45 °C.
Most moulds are harmless, but some can produce poisonous
substances called mycotoxins.
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Aspergillus causes two major problems:

Aspergillus spp. – The spores of the fungus Aspergillus are like small, • Fungal air cells
dry seeds that can easily spread by draught or wind. The spores can • Brooder pneumonia in young chicks
be found in low numbers throughout the whole environment.
Aspergillus spores survive and grow in a wide range of conditions, Generally chicks are more susceptible than older birds.
but especially on organic matter (like egg yolk), cardboard boxes and Aspergillus Controls
wood. • Avoid or minimise micro-cracked eggs and contaminated eggs
Cycles of high and low humidity optimise the growth of the fungus (floor eggs)
(mycelium) and the spread of its spores. The hatchery therefore • Nest box maintenance – clean, dry litter and routine application
offers the optimum environmental conditions for Aspergillus to thrive. of ‘prills’
• Ventilation to control humidity levels in the poultry house to
The most common fungus in hatcheries is Aspergillus fumigatus. reduce air-borne spores
Aspergillus fumigatus is the most commonly found Aspergillus species • Ensure feed is mould-free
and is the most pathogenic. Aspergillus is a fungus and not a bacterium • Clean and disinfected hatchers and baskets
but we should consider them the same when addressing hatchery • Air filtration on supply ductwork
hygiene. • Use of ‘Clinafarm’ or ‘Triamasol’ products

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Key aspects in a hatchery sanitation programme: b. Design:

a. Location • Work Flow - one way system clean  dirty
b. Design - no backtracking – prevent cross-contamination
c. Disinfection - separate work activities (eggs + chicks)
d. Monitoring - separate machines for hatch days
e. Legislation
f. Waste Disposal • Air Flow - filtered (4 microns)
- positive pressure from clean to dirty

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a. Location – key drivers: - air intake located on clean side of hatchery
• Not in close contact with other poultry operations (chicken,
turkey, ducks, etc ) • Materials - easy to clean ‘sandwich’ panel walls and ceilings
• Away from farming, forestry and civil engineering operations - floors with cleanable surfaces, joint and crack-
which can carry mould spores (Aspergillus) free, and sloping to trapped drains
• Absence of natural watercourses (ie. ponds, lakes, etc) which can - drains fitted with traps to remove solid matter
attract wild/migrating birds
• Free from nearby businesses/operations that can produce a • Equipment - hygienic materials like stainless steel are designed
great deal of dust for easily, accessible cleaning (incubators,
- from ventilation systems which can carry pathogenic hatchers, automation equipment, etc)
organisms (bacteria, viruses and mould spores)
- from non-pathogenic dust that can block air filters and
increase maintenance and cleaning costs

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PREVAILING WIND DIRECTION

EGGS IN

DOCK DOCK
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FUMI-
GATION

EGG RECEPTION

CHICKS OUT
DIRECTION OF AIR FLOW

DIRECTION OF DRAINAGE FLOW

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c. Disinfection - All hatcheries should have a carefully planned Golden Rules:

disinfection programme designed to address known risk areas • Don’t set up schedule timeframes that you cannot achieve.
within the hatchery. • Install ownership of hygiene standards and routines to
respective areas/supervisors.
3 stages of cleaning: • Identify any areas which may be contributing to high bacterial
• Remove organic matter (chick fluff and fecal droppings, levels and re-address procedures/cleaning application or
eggshells, yolk and albumen). chemical effectiveness to tackle the concern.
• Thorough cleansing (washing, steam cleaning, etc) using

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detergents to break down organic soilage, greases and fats and d. Monitoring - It is important to regularly monitor a disinfection
rinse with water. programme to measure its effectiveness. This can be done by
• Apply disinfectant to kill surface micro-organisms. swabbing designated surfaces, taking air samples or evaluating
the microbiological status of chick fluff.
Only chemicals approved by the Company should be used.
The choice of chemicals will depend upon a number of factors The quicker a hygiene issue is identified, the faster remedial action
including : can occur. Certain constraints on monitoring can be enforced either
• efficiency by Government legislative requirements or Customer Codes of
• safety Practice.
• residues
• ease of application
• availability
• cost
• service by supplier
Procedures must be in place for all cleaning schedules and staff
trained to comply with the procedures.

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Example of hatchery monitoring programme

Category of swab Area Item to be swabbed Frequency Type of test
All hatchers Internal 10 internal swabs pooled Monthly Salmonella
Culls - All flocks Fortnightly Salmonella
Water Vaccinator Water tank Monthly TVC
Hatchery audit (external) All areas All areas 6 Monthly TVC/Moulds/Salmonella
Dipslides All areas All areas Weekly TVC/Moulds
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Prod. areas Take-off Conveyors Monthly Salmonella

“ Take-off Mecerator Monthly Salmonella
“ Transfer Hatcher baskets Monthly Salmonella
“ Vehicle Internal box Monthly Salmonella

Key biosecurity/monitoring controls :

People Pest control
• Avian pets • Baits
• Illness reporting • Wild bird proofing of the building
• Personal hygiene • Insect control
• Protective clothing/shower in policy
Access
Contractors • Security
• Visitors questionnaire • Foot dips
• Protective clothing • Hand washing/sanitisers
• Vehicles • No non-essential visitors
• Equipment
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Restrict movement
• Separate work activities
• No ‘dirty’ to ‘clean’ access
• Drivers

Implementation of ‘High Risk Procedures’

• Egg collection – flock age order, disease/challenged flocks
last or separate

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• Separate egg trays and trolleys for disease/challenged
flocks

e. Legislation - abiding with local/national legal requirements

and codes of practice in terms of :
• Safe use
• Monitoring
• Disposal and spillage
• Record keeping

f. Waste disposal:
• Keeping skips/waste bins sealed or with lids closed to deter
wild bird or vermin activity
• Maintain a clean, disinfected waste area
• Check cleanliness and disinfect replaced skips/waste bins
Where have they come from?

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HATCHIEVES

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AVOIDING WELFARE AND

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STRESS FACTORS

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What is animal welfare?

It is the balance between ‘animal health’ (physical aspect and health
status) and their ‘well-being’ (mental aspect and behavior). In the
hatchery, we need to incorporate awareness, systems and protocols
to measure positive welfare outcomes, as well as prevent negative
welfare states.
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Why is animal welfare important

We all have a moral, ethical, and legal obligation to be aware of the
animals comfort, and treat animals with care and compassion.

Remember:
Good Welfare + Good Care + Good Health = Good Performance.

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5 Freedoms of animal welfare: Who is responsible for animal welfare in our hatchery?
• Freedom from Hunger & Thirst
• Freedom from Discomfort
• Freedom to Express Normal Behavior
• Freedom from Fear & Distress
• Freedom from Pain, Injury & Disease

Essentials of good stockmanship for employees/staff:

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• Knowledge of animal husbandry.
• Skills in animal husbandry. (Care, observation, handling,
treatment, and problem detection and resolution)
• Personal attributes – affinity and empathy with animals,
dedication and patience

‘Every chick counts’

This means that you are responsible for the welfare of all chicks in the
hatchery that are within your daily care responsibilities. This section
is aimed at guiding you to practices and protocols that will promote
positive welfare outcomes within the hatchery.

WE are all responsible for animal welfare

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Systems and Protocols:

a. Staff (including sexers, vaccinators, drivers, etc) - should all be • Chick culling should be carried out by competent, trained staff at
trained, aware and competent in recognizing potential welfare least every 15 minutes. Ensure cull boxes are not over-filled.
issues and empowered to report concerns. This can be conducted
• Ensure no over-crowding of chicks on conveyor belts/carousels.
by:
Chicks should be able to comfortably remain in a single layer.
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• Introduction to animal welfare, legislation, perceptions and • Quick response to incubator alarms or adverse conditions –
good business practices following protocols.
• Hands-on training – orientation to handling and care
• Monthly training – specific topic awareness
• Certification training – euthanasia methods
• Annual training – reviews of standards/legislation, 5 freedoms
and company expectations

In addition to this, staff should recognize and prevent the

following potential stress or welfare issues to day-old chicks:

• Prevent rough handling – handle chicks carefully.

• Do not leave chicks on the floor – pick them up as soon as you

see them.

• Remove dead and cull chicks from baskets and place them into a
cull box. The cull box must be located close to the operatives. Cull
boxes should not be placed directly on the floor.
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• Record keeping/documentation – full traceability and • Look for chick behavior especially in the chick take-off and chick
coordination. Eggs  chicks  transport  placement. holding rooms.
• Chicks huddling = too cold and/or draughts
• Vaccination preparation, mixing, application and cleaning in
accordance to recommendations/protocols. This includes in- • Chicks panting (gasping) = too hot and/or inadequate
ovo, spray and intramuscular vaccinations. ventilation
• Chicks noisy = discomfort – look for causes.
• Hatch Window – monitor routinely to help understand if

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the chicks are hatching too early or too late and to optimize • Run efficient, planned preventative maintenance programmes.
incubation times.

• Looking at chicks in the boxes in the chick holding room can be

a good Q.A. tool to determine if all processing equipment is set
up and functioning correctly for chick comfort and to prevent
risk of injuries to chicks.

• Keep stacks of chick boxes well-spaced both at chick take-off

and in chick holding to aid ventilation and prevent stress from
overheating.

• Keep lids on the top box of each stack of chick boxes to prevent
draughts and chicks ‘huddling’.

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b. Incubation

• Incubation programmes should be established for optimal intervals for room environments (temperature and humidity) in
development. incubators and hatchers, and chick take-off, chick processing and
• Daily checks should be conducted and recorded at required chick holding rooms.
intervals for temperature, humidity, ventilation (fans) and turning • Calibrations should be made routinely for temperature, humidity
(incubators). and any other measuring devices for accuracy.
• Daily checks should be conducted and recorded at required
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Example of conducting daily checks. Notice that the trolley

highlighted on the right of the incubator is not turning correctly Example of daily check
(different angle compared to the other trolleys). sheet for an incubator.
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c. Equipment (ancillary and chick processing)

• Ensure speed of conveyor belts are appropriate for staff and not
causing piling or tumbling of chicks.
• Conveyor belts should be designed without steep inclines/
declines from one conveyor or belt to another. Maximum height
of drop should be 6” (15 cm) from one belt to another. Slides
can be installed to help reduce the drop in height and risk of leg

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damage to the chicks.
• Conveyors and belts should be aligned to prevent ‘pinch points’
where chicks can be injured.
• Place boxes underneath chick automation equipment to identify
where chicks can fall onto the floor. Rectify the problem when
identified.
• Culling equipment used for the euthanasia of chicks should be
approved by company and local legislative requirements.
• Broken or damaged baskets/boxes should be discarded or
repaired to prevent chicks falling onto the floor and injury to the
chicks.
• Use embossed, paper tray liners in chick boxes to help the chicks
with grip and stance during transit.
• Be aware of conveyors with smooth belts that can get wet or
soiled with meconium during chick take-off and potentially cause
damage to the legs of the chicks.

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d. Environment

• Alarms – primary and back-up alarms must be installed, working • Temperature – not too cold
and tested routinely on all incubators and hatchers. This should • Temperature – not too hot
include low and high temperature, low and high humidity, fan • Ventilation – good air exchange and oxygen levels
failure and turning failure as a minimum. Other alarms can be • Ventilation – no draughts over chicks
fitted in accordance with incubator manufacturers. Ideally, an
alarm link from the incubators to a computer is preferred for A ‘comfortable’ chick’ – the yolk metabolism utilises 1g of H2O/24hr
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maintaining records. – loses 1-2g of H2O/24 hr from breathing

• Alarms – low and high temperature alarms need to be set for An ‘overheated chick’– the yolk metabolism utilises 1g of H2O/24hrs
the benefit of the embryos/chicks and not for the convenience of – loses 5-10g of H2O/24hrs from panting
people.
• Mains power failure – back-up generators must be installed, • Use ‘blue’ lights or reduced light intensity for chicks in the chick
ideally with auto-start and routine testing in place. holding room to create calmness and reduce activity and stress.
• Mains water supply – back-up water storage in place or a back-up
supply of water bowsers must be available. Install low level flow
alarms on header/storage tanks for early notification of loss of
water supply.
• Ventilation failure to air handling unit – alarms for air pressure
meters, emergency spare parts on site, emergency procedures
and protocols.
• Preventing thermal stress – maintain environmental control of all
chick processing and holding areas with posted expectations for
room conditions:

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Example of chicks ‘huddling’ due to no lid on the box causing a
Example calm chicks in the chick holding room.
draught over the chicks.

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e. Transport Always keep animal welfare at the forefront

of your daily routines
• Plan for chicks to be held and placed with access to feed and
water as soon as possible. Remember – Good Welfare + Good Care +
• Stocking Density – Do not place too many chicks in a box. Maintain Good Health = Good Performance
a minimum of 21 cm² per chick.
• Temperature – the air temperature in the box of the delivery truck Don’t accept – always look to improve!!
is normally between 24 to 26°C to maintain the ideal temperature
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that the chicks feel in the chick boxes of 32°C.

• If the vehicle cannot be reversed directly in front of the gable end 2013 Broiler Standards
doors at the broiler farm to unload chicks, then face the vehicle
into the prevailing wind to prevent cold draughts from entering
the back of the truck.
2009 Broiler Standards
• Ideally, cloaca temperatures of chicks arriving at the farm should
be the same as chick take-off and chick holding in the hatchery
between 40.0 to 40.6°C.

2011 Hatchery Standards

2014 Hatchery Standards

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