Ostrich incubator: choice of device and mode table, common mistakes

Further increase in the number of livestock on the farm depends on the correct choice of an incubator for ostriches. At home, females do not always hatch chicks on their own. The owners of the feathered herd often resort to artificial methods. To avoid mistakes, the owner must understand the process. It is important to create normal conditions for rearing young animals.

Choosing an incubator

Different models of incubators are offered by Chinese manufacturers. But farmers are advised to give preference to Russian brands and choose equipment with a warranty period. You should also pay attention to other characteristics:

1. The presence of temperature control devices - sensors to control the mode and a special film for heating raw materials.
2. Auto egg turning system for easy care.
3. Devices that control the level of humidity. You can also choose mechanical varieties that are cheaper.
4. Incubators made of steel are considered the best. It is acceptable to use durable plastic and insulation.

In addition, purchase trays for storing material.

Egg picking

Ostrich laying usually takes place from April to October. Up to 20 eggs are obtained from one female. A whole, undamaged product is selected for placement in the incubator. Depending on the weight, 2 classes are distinguished. Main characteristics:

Shell color1 category2 categoryEmu0.5-0.750.35-0.57dark greenOstrich1.5-1.81.1-1.5white

Variety	Egg mass, kg

The material obtained from the female, which has just laid, is of high quality. Sterile gloves are worn when handling eggs to prevent infection from entering the shell.

Bookmark and storage

The product is placed with the blunt base up. But in ostrich eggs, it's hard to tell where the sharp end is. Experienced poultry farmers do this with an ovoscope or lamp. The most common is the bookmark method, which provides a horizontal orientation when placed.

First of all, products of the 1st category enter the incubator. And only after the installation of one class proceed to bookmark the next. Outside the incubator, eggs are stored for no more than a week in a room with an air temperature of up to 15 ° and a humidity level of 75%.

Disinfection of eggs and incubator

Before being placed in the incubator, the eggs are cleaned of dirt and disinfected. Do not use brushes with hard bristles, so as not to harm the embryo.

For sanitization use the drug "Virkon":

1. 3 grams of powder are taken per liter of water. The mixture is heated to a temperature that is 5 degrees warmer than the egg itself.
2. Choose a soft cloth or brush for the job.
3. After removing the dirt, the products are completely dried on all sides.

The incubator is sprayed with a solution of chloramine, then washed with clean water and then aired for a day. Sometimes smoke from burning formaldehyde or ultraviolet radiation is used for disinfection. Another method involves placing a warm mixture of formalin and potassium permanganate inside the equipment. Evaporation contributes to protection against pathogenic microorganisms.

Flipping and spraying

For the normal development of embryos, they must be turned up to 8 times a day. The process can be automatic. With independent actions, they ensure strict adherence to the schedule. After 39 days, the eggs are transferred to the hatcher and left to lie still in a horizontal position.

A useful acquisition will be an alarm that will respond to deviations from the specified air parameters inside the chamber. Spring-loaded egg trays prevent material from falling out or shifting.

Spraying is resorted to if the recommended humidity level cannot be established inside the incubator. Use boiled water cooled to room temperature. Moisturize not the eggs themselves, but only the storage containers.

Tables of Incubation Modes

Modern equipment for incubation is equipped with sensors for monitoring the required indicators.For different periods of development of the African ostrich embryo, special conditions are created:

1-14 the air is heated to 36.3-36.5 °Cmaintain a constant level of 20-25%23-25 15-21 23-2522-31 432-38 2 35.8-36.2 ° 60-70 %

	Humidity	Number of egg flips
			39-40
40-45 %			41-43

For emu, the mode is different:

35.3-36 °C58-61 %

Periods, days	Air temperature	Humidity level
from 1 to 46	the indicator does not change and is 35.6-36.2 °C

In the incubator chamber airing of containers is also organized. At the initial stage of development, the volume of oxygen is provided up to 300 ml per minute, before pipping - it is increased to 545.

Development stages and ovoscopy

There are several stages of embryo development:

1. In the first week, when translucent with an ovoscope, the embryonic membrane is visible under the shell, which occupies a fifth of the internal space.
2. After 14 days, the shadow already fills ½ of the entire surface.
3. After 24 days, only the sixth share remains free.

The embryo completely fills the egg one month after being placed in the incubator.

When do chicks hatch?

African ostriches peck their shells after 40 days. Emu chicks are born almost 2 months after being placed in an incubator.As the embryo develops, the egg loses mass. At different stages, products are weighed to determine the percentage of shrinkage. Permissible reduction:

Incubation periods	Weight loss per 100 grams
1 week	2,3
2 week	4,8
3 week	7, 3
1 month	9.9

Exceeding the indicator means insufficient humidity in the incubator chamber, a change to the smaller side means excess. Up to 14% losses in ostriches and about 18% for emus are considered normal.

Actions after the birth of ostriches

When the chicks are just starting to break through the shell, it is necessary to adjust the air parameters. Humidity is set to 30%, the temperature is increased by 0.5 °C with a small number of eggs and lowered to the same level if there is a lot of raw materials.

At the stage of complete destruction of the containment, the humidity is increased to 60%. Such an environment is favorable for newborn ostriches. If the young cannot handle pipping, the crack in the shell can be lengthened. After the chicks are born, the ostrich is placed in a brooder. In a cage equipped with heating elements, babies dry out and gain strength.

After that comes the stage of weighing. The data will allow you to further control the set of kilograms.

Common beginner mistakes

Farmers who have just started breeding ostriches often make typical mistakes during incubation:

1. Do not test the strength of the shell. The shell should not be pressed strongly when pressed.
2. The parents forget to add minerals to the diet for the normal formation of future chicks.
3. Do not control the level of humidity and air temperature in the chamber. Deviations from the norm often end in the death of the embryo.
4. Do not determine the position of the embryo in the egg. To do this, you need an ovoscope or just a bright lamp. The air bag should be on top.

Knowing all the nuances of the process will save the life and he alth of the chicks. The ostrich incubator greatly simplifies the process of increasing livestock on the farm. The installation of automatic control systems will allow you to easily observe the regimen necessary for the development of embryos. In the absence of sensors, they adhere to the schedule and check the indicators.

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