Support the production of gamebird chicks

This standard is about supporting the production of gamebird chicks. It relates to the work activities that you undertake to support the incubation and hatching of gamebird eggs.

This standard is aimed at those who work in gamebird production on a full- or part-time basis, and can be applied to any wildlife management area or game farm involved in the production of gamebird chicks.

To meet this standard you will be able to:
•  load gamebird eggs into incubator
•  maintain gamebird eggs in incubation
•  maintain the hatching process
•  unload gamebird chicks from a hatcher

For you to fully understand the content of the standard, and the activities it describes, it is important that you are able to understand the terms used within the standard. See Glossary for some definitions that should help you with this.

1. carry out activities safely, in line with relevant health and safety requirements
2. assist with establishing the incubator to a clean and hygienic condition
3. assist with establishing and maintaining suitable environmental conditions within the incubator to facilitate successful incubation, and report to the appropriate person any environmental conditions that fall outside the given specification
4. assist with setting gamebird eggs in the incubator, according to manufacturer’s instructions, to support the production of gamebird chicks
5. assist with candling gamebird eggs to confirm their viability
6. assist with transferring viable gamebird eggs to the hatcher, according to the manufacturer’s instructions, to support the production of gamebird chicks
7. clean the incubation facilities after use
8. assist with establishing and monitoring the environmental conditions in the hatcher to facilitate a successful hatch, and report to the appropriate person any environmental conditions that fall outside the given specification
9. monitor the hatching process
10. assist with removing gamebird chicks from the hatcher in a manner that maintains chick welfare and optimises their survival
11. dispatch any sick or abnormal gamebird chicks according to approved codes of practice
12. assist with establishing gamebird chicks safely and securely in clean and well-ventilated chick boxes
13. clean hatching facilities after use
14. dispose of waste and mortalities according to relevant legal requirements
15. maintain accurate records according to the relevant legal requirements and those of the organisation that you work for

1. the relevant health and safety requirements associated with the use of incubators and hatchery equipment
2. the conditions required for successful incubation and the importance of temperature, humidity and movement to the incubation process
3. the methods of monitoring and maintaining the incubation environment
4. the methods used to confirm fertilisation and development
5. the importance of cleanliness and hygiene to the incubation of gamebird eggs and why gamebird eggs are disinfected before incubation
6. the conditions required for successful hatching to support the production of gamebird chicks
7. the methods of monitoring and maintaining the hatching environment
8. the importance of temperature, humidity and movement to the hatching process
9. the importance of hygiene to the hatching process
10. how to handle gamebird chicks in a manner that maintains their welfare
11. the legislation and codes of practice controlling the production of gamebird chicks
12. how to humanely dispatch any sick or abnormal gamebird chicks
13. the relevant legal requirements controlling the disposal of mortalities
14. the relevant legal requirements for the transportation of gamebird chicks

Establish and maintain the following environmental conditions:

• temperature
• humidity
• turning
• hygiene

Gamebirds – Pheasant, partridge, duck

Incubation – the process used to support the development of chicks inside the egg

Hatching – the process used to support the hatching of chicks from the egg

Candle – the method of using a light source, such as a bulb, to see through the eggshell and determine whether the egg is developing properly and is therefore viable or if it should be discarded