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Contribute to the production of game bird chicks

URN: LANGa28
Business Sectors (Suites): Game and Wildlife Management
Developed by: Lantra
Approved on: 2022

Overview

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This standard is about contributing to the production of game bird chicks. It can be applied to any game bird eggs that are incubated and hatched under controlled conditions.

This standard is for those who work in game conservation and can be applied to any wildlife management area or game farm.

To meet this standard you will be able to:
• contribute to the production of game bird chicks
• establish and maintain hygienic incubation
• contribute to the incubation/hatchery process
• maintain the production of day-old game bird chicks.

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 the Glossary for some definitions that should help you with this.

Performance criteria

You must be able to:

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  1. contribute to the production of game bird chicks by the effective implementation of the game bird breeding programme so that its targets can be achieved, in accordance with the relevant national legal requirements and codes of practice
  2. confirm that work is carried out safely, in line with the relevant health and safety requirements
  3. maintain production operations within known resource availability and according to welfare requirements
  4. implement hatchery operations to achieve the required production, in accordance with the relevant national legal requirements, codes of practice and organisational requirements
  5. implement measures to monitor and maintain the safety and security of the hatchery
  6. implement measures to control pests and predators
  7. test and establish the hygiene level and working conditions of hatchery equipment
  8. determine and compare fertility in game bird eggs
  9. follow established procedures to minimise the effect of factors that can disrupt game bird chick production
  10. confirm that game bird eggs are selected and prepared in accordance with planned hatchery production
  11. control the operation of incubation and hatching equipment to maintain the temperature and humidity essential to game bird chick production
  12. maintain game bird chick production within known resource constraints and according to the relevant welfare requirements
  13.  confirm that the welfare of game bird chicks is maintained during hatching, boxing and transportation
  14. maintain communication with those involved to facilitate effective hatchery production
  15.  confirm accurate records of game bird chick production are maintained, as required by the relevant legislation, codes of practice and organisational requirements 

Knowledge and Understanding

You need to know and understand:

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  1. the relevant national legal constraints and codes of practice controlling hatchery production
  2. the health and safety requirements associated with the incubation of game bird eggs
  3. how to implement a game bird chick production programme to achieve the planned targets
  4. the methods that can be used to monitor and maintain the safety and security of the hatchery
  5. the methods that can be used to monitor and control the presence of pests and predators
  6. how to establish and maintain the hygienic condition of incubation equipment
  7. the problems associated with poor hatchery hygiene
  8. how to test and establish the working conditions of incubation equipment
  9. how to monitor and control the temperature and humidity of incubation equipment
  10. the manufacturer’s operating procedures, including the emergency back-up systems, associated with the incubation equipment, as well as the time period of insulation
  11. the conditions and time required for a successful incubation and hatching
  12. how to minimise the potential impact of factors that can disrupt game bird chick production
  13. the relevant legal requirements and codes of practice pertaining to the production, transport and welfare of reared game bird chicks
  14. the relevant legislation, codes of practice and organisational requirements for the completion and storage of records

Scope/range

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Establish the condition of equipment used for:
• incubating
• hatching

Maintain a recording system to record:
• fertility
• percentage hatch of fertile eggs
• percentage overall hatch
• numbers in incubation

Implement hatchery operations relating to:
• egg preparation
• egg incubation
• egg hatching
• dispatch of deformed chicks
• boxing day-old chicks

Follow procedures to deal with four of the following factors that can disrupt production:
• incubation failure
• changes in environmental conditions
• resource shortages
• disease and abnormality
• pest and predator actions
• sabotage

Scope Performance

Scope Knowledge

Values

Behaviours

Skills

Glossary

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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

Game – pheasant, partridge, duck

Resources – people, materials, feed and water, equipment, power, time

Links To Other NOS

External Links

Version Number

3

Indicative Review Date

2027

Validity

Current

Status

Original

Originating Organisation

Lantra

Original URN

LANGa28

Relevant Occupations

Estate Worker, Gamekeeper

SOC Code

5119

Keywords

game bird; eggs; incubation; chicks; hatchery