Performance Evaluation of a Solar Powered Poultry Egg Incubator

Abstract

The utilization of solar incubator would proffers solution to a major constraint of power inadequacy for commercial poultry egg incubation in Nigeria. A solar powered poultry egg incubator was developed and the main components included incubating chamber, control system and solar powered system. The developed solar incubator was 610 mm × 607 mm × 1649 mm in size with a capacity for 150 eggs. This study conducted performance evaluation on the solar powered poultry egg incubator developed. The performance parameters include, hatchability, the percentage of chicks with unabsorbed yolk, fully developed chicks but not hatched and banger (exploded eggs) which were evaluated by loading total of 147 eggs for 21 days. Throughout the period of incubation the temperature was maintained within the recommended range of 36 to 39 oC which was achieved with the aid of the temperature control system. The fertility of the eggs loaded was 64 % while the hatchability of the fertile eggs obtained was 44 %. The percentage of chicks that hatched, fully developed chicks but not hatched, chicks with unabsorbed yolk and banger (exploded eggs) were 44 %, 13 %, 40 % and 3 % respectively. The solar powered system proved to be a good source of power which could provide continuous supply throughout the period of the incubation without failing.