Increasing Livestock Production in Nigeria: Development of Cost-Effective Models for Bird-Egg Incubator

Abstract

This paper proffers cost-effective incubators for bird eggs hatching in Nigeria. Four models of bird eggs incubators were highlighted using three different phases of incubation technologies. Model one, a still-air, oil lamp incubator is developed to incubate considerable few numbers of eggs, while model two, a semi-electric forced-air, oil lamp incubator demonstrated an incubator’s efficiency when an inherent hot-spot is diffused within the incubator box by means of a low-speed fan. This ensures that more eggs can be hatched, provided temperature and humidity are closely monitored. The third model, a semi-automatic, electrical incubator using an analogue thermostat with an improvised humidifier is constructed, eliminating constant human monitoring inherent in the previous models of incubators. The final model, an embedded computer based incubator was developed with negligible human monitoring with higher hatching capacity. Results from different models testing show that with an embedded computer-based model of incubator preset at temperature of 37◦ Celsius, humidity level of 60- 75%, and proper egg turning interval, embryos’ casualty level will be reduced and increased hatchability rate will be achieved, if eggs fertility rate is high. This will eventually increase the commercial production of chickens for local consumption and commercial demands in tropical country like Nigeria.