Semi-Automatic Incubator for artificial hatching

Hatching Success, One Chick at a Time

The Artificial hatching technology involve a semi-automatic incubator that reproduces the natural incubation process on a larger scale. They are designed to accommodate 50 to 150 eggs at a time. They can be heated using kerosene or a battery-powered light bulb, offering an alternative to mains electricity.

This technology is TAAT1 validated.

8•8

Scaling readiness: idea maturity 8/9; level of use 8/9

Adults 18 and over: Positive high

Farmers managing poultry businesses benefit from the technology's efficiency, enabling better planning and higher profits.

The poor: Positive medium

The low-cost kerosene or battery-powered heating options make this technology viable for resource-poor farmers without mains electricity.

Under 18: Positive medium

Enhanced poultry production improves access to eggs and poultry meat, benefiting nutrition for this age group.

Women: Positive medium

Women, who often manage small-scale poultry farms, gain tools to scale operations and earn higher incomes.

Climate adaptability: Highly adaptable

It provides a reliable and controlled environment for chick production, minimizing dependency on favorable weather conditions for natural incubation.

Farmer climate change readiness: Significant improvement

It offers farmers a resilient income source, buffering them against losses in other climate-sensitive agricultural sectors.

Biodiversity: No impact on biodiversity

Carbon footprint: A bit less carbon released

Semi-automatic incubators using battery or kerosene heating reduce reliance on electricity, offering a low-carbon alternative for off-grid farmers.

Environmental health: Moderately improves environmental health

Artificial incubation reduces the risk of parasite and disease transmission, minimizing the need for excessive chemical treatments that can harm ecosystems.

Soil quality: Does not affect soil health and fertility

Enhanced poultry production diminishes reliance on grazing livestock, helping prevent soil degradation and erosion.

Water use: Same amount of water used

Problem

The technology of artificial hatching in semi-automatic incubators provides innovative solutions to several key challenges in poultry farming :

Limitation of natural incubation in producing chicks, with a capacity of only 10-12 chicks per hatch.
Difficulty in rapidly scaling up the production of new poultry breeds and ensuring a reliable supply of young birds to expand poultry farming.
High space and production costs, which are key factors in achieving profitability in a poultry farming enterprise.
Difficulty in responding quickly to the demand for chicks.
Risk of the spread of parasites and diseases in the natural incubation process.

Solution

This technology addresses these challenges by offering solutions that benefit both the poultry industry and individual farmers:

The ability to raise day-old chicks (DOCs) in just 21 days, compared to the 21 days required for natural incubation.
High success rate of 85-90% in artificial incubation, increasing production efficiency.
Space and production cost savings through semi-automatic incubators.
The capacity to produce a large number of chicks in a short time in response to market demand.
Reduced risk of the spread of parasites and diseases in the artificial incubation process.
Improved supply of chicks, stimulating the consumption of eggs and poultry meat and increasing the income of poultry farmers.

Key points to design your program

A scalable solution for poultry farming in Sub-Saharan Africa

The semi-automatic incubator technology offers an innovative solution to challenges in traditional poultry farming, including limited chick production, high space and production costs, and the risk of disease transmission through natural incubation.

This technology aligns with several Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): SDG 2 (Zero Hunger), SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-being), SDG 8 (Decent Work and Economic Growth), SDG 9 (Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure), and SDG 12 (Responsible Consumption and Production) by improving food security, enhancing economic opportunities, and promoting sustainable farming practices.

As part of the Poultry Technology Toolkit, the semi-automatic incubator complements other innovations such as Genetically Improved Poultry Breeds for Optimized Meat and Egg Production and Dual-Purpose Chicken for Small-Scale Producers. Together, these technologies increase the efficiency, profitability, and sustainability of poultry farming systems.

The artificial hatching technology has been successfully introduced in several East African countries, including Burundi, DR Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda, through the Enabling Sustainable Regional Agricultural Extension (ENSURE) project, funded by the African Development Bank.

This technology is an ideal fit for development programs aiming to boost agricultural productivity, advance gender equity, and ensure environmental sustainability. Partnerships with organizations like ILRI ensure effective implementation, capacity building, and technical support for smallholder farmers.

Cost: $$$ 100—200 USD

Incubators

ROI: $$$ 20 %

per cycle

150 USD

64-egg manual solar unit

200 USD

fully automated 96 egg unit

500 USD

Hatchery start up requirement

IP

Open source / open access

Countries with a green colour: Tested & adopted
Countries with a bright green colour: Adopted
Countries with a yellow colour: Tested
Countries with a blue colour: Testing ongoing

Countries where the technology is being tested or has been tested and adopted
Country	Testing ongoing	Tested	Adopted
Benin	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Botswana	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Burundi	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Central African Republic	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Côte d’Ivoire	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Democratic Republic of the Congo	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Ethiopia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Ghana	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Guinea	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Kenya	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Madagascar	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Malawi	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Mozambique	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Niger	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Nigeria	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Rwanda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Senegal	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Sierra Leone	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Somalia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
South Sudan	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Tanzania	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Uganda	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Zambia	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted
Zimbabwe	–No ongoing testing	Tested	Adopted

This technology can be used in the colored agro-ecological zones. Any zones shown in white are not suitable for this technology.

Agro-ecological zones where this technology can be used
AEZ	Subtropic - warm	Subtropic - cool	Tropic - warm	Tropic - cool
Arid
Semiarid
Subhumid
Humid

Source: HarvestChoice/IFPRI 2009

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals that are applicable to this technology.

Goal 2: zero hunger

By increasing the supply of chicks, eggs, and poultry meat, it contributes to greater availability of high-protein food sources.

Goal 3: good health and well-being

Greater access to poultry products improves the nutritional status of communities, particularly for vulnerable groups like children and women.

Goal 8: decent work and economic growth

It supports small business development in poultry farming, from chick production to processing and sales.

Goal 9: industry, innovation and infrastructure

They are affordable and scalable solutions, making innovative technology accessible to rural farmers.

Goal 12: responsible production and consumption

It reduces energy use compared to fully automated systems and optimizes space and inputs for poultry farming.

To achieve successful incubation, the following steps are necessary:

Collect and store fertile eggs carefully.
Maintain the incubator at 38°C for initial incubation.
Adjust temperature as the embryo grows.
Monitor and control moisture levels (60-80%).
Turn eggs three times daily for 18 days.
Handle eggs with care to prevent damage.
Ensure a clean, secure incubator environment.
Mark eggs for systematic turning.
Use candling to assess egg development.
Vaccinate young chicks and prepare for the next cycle by cleaning and disinfecting.