The effect of air movement on the hatchability of chicken eggs during artificial incubation

In order to obtain more knowledge about the relationship between the velocity of air movement and the percentage hatch, a number of experiments were performed in two cabinet‐type incubators equipped with a device enabling the air movement to be measured.

Air velocities in the incubators varied from 0.08 to 3 m/s, depending on the location of the anemometer between the eggs, the turning position of the drum and the speed of the air stirrer. The air velocities were not affected by opening or closing the ventilation ports.

A direct effect of the air velocity on the hatchability could not be shown. When stirrer speeds of 60 and 120 rev/min (experiment A) and 120 and 180 rev/min (experiment B) were employed, the best hatching results were always obtained in the incubator with the highest stirrer speed. These differences were explained by the results of a number of temperature measurements which showed more accumulation of heat between the eggs when a lower stirrer speed was employed.

At 60 rev/min a significantly higher loss of weight was found between 5th and 18th day of hatching than at 120 rev/min. This difference was also explained by the presence of higher temperatures between the eggs at lower stirrer speeds.