An automatic monitoring of the hatching process based on the noise of the hatching chicks

Egg Quality and Incubation Research Group, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, KU Leuven, B-3001 Heverlee, Belgium. flip.bamelis@agr.kuleuven.ac.be

In this manuscript, a new tool is presented for automatic monitoring of the hatching process of eggs without opening the incubator doors. The amount of energy in the noise produced by the hatchlings was registered by means of a microphone and a personal computer for signal treatment. Evidence is shown that it is possible to detect exactly when the first chicks are hatched, the mean hatching time, and the finish of hatch. The information generated by this tool can be used by the hatchery manager to make the decision to end the incubation at the right moment, resulting in a higher number of first quality chicks without the risk of a reduced hatchability due to too early termination of the incubation process. The presented research also shows evidence that there is already a circadian rhythm in the newborn hatchling even when no external stimulus is present.