How to use an ovoscope to check hatching eggs
The ovoscope is used to check the eggs at all stages of hatching. Depending on the type of bird, they are checked with different frequencies. How to use an ovoscope to separate eggs with defects in advance and immediately select the best specimens?
This sampling is necessary to obtain the maximum hatch rate from the eggs set in the incubator. Is it worth learning more about what an ovoscope is and how to use it?
How does an ovoscope work
For the ovoscope, the correct selection of the lamp is extremely important.
Do not overheat the eggs, as otherwise the embryos can easily die due to the temperature rise. It is advisable to use energy-saving lamps, they have a low heat generation, but they give enough light for the device to work. Some ovoscopes are equipped with additional ventilation holes to reduce the heating rate of the eggs being examined.
Types of ovoscopes
Ovoscopes are different. There are rules determining how to use an ovoscope of a particular model. They adapt to the situation, allowing you to test both one egg at a time and a whole batch.
They can be divided into the following types:
- Vertical. The most popular and practical type of ovoscope. The body of the device has a vertical shape, and the lamp is located at the bottom. You just need to put eggs on top of the device, no more contacts are required. Depending on the model, the ovoscope can simultaneously show through up to ten eggs.
- Horizontal. A slightly less convenient option that allows you to check no more than one egg at a time. The light source is located at the bottom of the housing and is directed upwards. In this case, the hole for transmission is located on the side, which prevents the eggs from overheating, since the light is directed upwards and there is no direct contact with it. Such ovoscopes are often made by hand, but you should know that this option is fire hazardous if you use flammable materials.
- Hammerhead. This device really strongly resembles a hammer in its shape. Its main advantage is the ability to work from a battery or batteries, and not a network, as is the case with the previous options. It is very important to choose the right light output as the hammer ovoscope can easily overheat the egg and spoil it. Also, when checking, you can not get eggs from the tray, which reduces the chance of damage.
The industry uses special vertical ovoscopes. In fact, these are tables for ovoscopy, where you can place a whole tray at once and illuminate all the eggs in it at the same time.
How to use an ovoscope
Ovoscoping eggs for different species of birds is no different. The only difference is the check time.
The optimal interval for checking chicken eggs is 4-5 days for normal breeds and 5-6 days for beef breeds. Already on the fourth day, blood vessels, as well as the shadow of the embryo, should be visible in the egg.At the second check of the eggs on the ovoscope, it will be possible to notice allantois - the respiratory organ of the embryo. It covers the entire surface of the shell from the inside and closes in a sharp end. The embryo at this point is already becoming quite large, while it is densely entangled with blood vessels.
Checking goose eggs with an ovoscope is carried out in two translucencies: on the 8th and 14th day. During the first analysis, the threads of the blood vessels should be clearly visible, and during the second, the embryo itself.
Duck eggs checked three times: on days 8, 21 and 25. In the first case, only the network of blood vessels should be visible, on the 21st day the embryo becomes visible, and by the 25th it will already be well formed.
Turkey eggs are also tested three times:
- The first is when placed in an incubator.
- The second on the 8th day - the embryo and the bloodstream should already be visible;
- The third transillumination is carried out on days 25-26. The egg should be uniformly dark, which will indicate a fully developed embryo.
Here's how to use an ovoscope to discard missing eggs.
Do not lay eggs for incubation that have external damage to the shell, or a dark spot near a blunt edge.
Also, the yolk should move smoothly when turning the egg, without touching the shell of the shell. When the lumen appears on the egg, there should not be any points, stripes, indicating cracks.
Ovoscopy allows early selection of the best material by rejecting unsuitable eggs. By using an ovoscope to check eggs, the productivity of the incubator can be significantly increased. Now, without this procedure, it is no longer possible to engage in effective breeding of birds, since it makes it possible to see pathologies that cannot be detected with a simple visual examination.