HATCHING CHICKEN EGGS USING COLORED LED LIGHT

SCIENCE INVESTIGATORY PROJECT

Life Science –Team Category

DAWN CHRISTIENNE M. ABUTAR

RHIANA JAE CHRIZZIA DINGLASAN
RANDEL MARIUS M. MALAPOTE
Grade V-SSES
Adriatico Memorial School

ALOHA B. ABES
CATHERINE B. AGUILAR
Adult Sponsors

Calapan West Schools District

Division of Calapan City

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TITLE: HATCHING CHICKEN EGGS USING COLORED LED LIGHTS

ABSTRACT:

Light manipulation has been an effective measure to improve poultry production. Providing

light during incubation has been shown to affect hatchability, but the use of LED lights has not been

evaluated. This study aims to evaluate the effects of using colored LED light during incubation of

native chicken eggs on hatchability. To determine this, the experiment will be carried out in four

groups with total number of 8 eggs (2 eggs per incubator). The eggs will be incubated 24 hours of the

basic incandescent lighting (Set-up A) as the controlled set-up and 24 hours of complete colored LED

lighting, Set-up B with yellow LED light, Set-up C red LED light and Set-up D with blue LED light,

as the experimental groups. All groups will use 25W light bulbs. After setting the condition of the

artificial environment, the eggs will be carefully monitored through the conventional way of

incubating the eggs in terms of turning and candling, until the eggs reach the expected hatching period

of 21 days. The results will show that there are significant effects of colored LED lighting on

hatchability of native chicken eggs. There will be significant differences observed among the chick

performance such as the weight, vitality and mortality of the chicks in four groups in which chick

weight at hatch was the heaviest in group of eggs exposed to complete red LED lighting during

incubation (Set-up C).

INTRODUCTION:

Hatching of eggs refers to the production of chicks. Traditionally, eggs were hatched by

placing them under broody hens. However, only 10 to 12 eggs can be put under 1 hen. This method of

hatching is highly unsatisfactory for large-scale production of baby chickens. To meet the high

demand on poultry products, producers are adopting new technologies that will enable them to

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increase production at a reduced cost. Incubators, which provide similar environment as that of broody

hens, are used at present for the hatching of eggs. Most of these production technologies focus on

enhancing the environmental conditions. These environmental conditions are critical elements during

chicken eggs incubation and hatching. By using light-emitting diode (LED), breeders can increase

production and reduce mortality with lower energy consumption and longer life use than the

conventional incandescent lighting. Native chickens have a good hatchability percent. During

incubation, exposing eggs to light can increase the embryo’s growth and decrease time of incubation.

(Shafey, 2004)

This study will be conducted to investigate the effects of complete colored LED lighting during

chicken’s eggs incubation on hatchability and hatched chick quality.

This study pursued the previous research conducted by the researchers entitled Raising Broiler

Chickens Using Colored LED Light, in which the effects of using colored LED light to chicken

performance was tested. Furthermore, this study will determine the potential use of colored LED light

in incubators.

OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY:

 Use 3 different colored LED lights in native chicken egg incubators;

 Use the traditional incandescent light in one incubator.

 Identify the effects of each light to the broiler chickens eggs during incubation.

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STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM:

 How appropriate is a colored LED light as artificial light used in incubators considering the

hatchability rate of the eggs, vitality, mortality and chick performance upon hatching?

 Is there a significant difference between the degrees of appropriateness in using colored LED

light in incubators considering the color of light used?

 Is there a significant interaction among the type and color of light used, hatchability rate of the

eggs, vitality, mortality and chick performance upon hatching?

STATEMENT OF THE HYPOTHESES:

Ho1: There is no significant difference between the mean ratings of the degree of appropriateness as

artificial light used in incubators considering the hatchability rate of the eggs, vitality, mortality and

chick performance upon hatching.

Ho2: There is no significant difference between the degrees of appropriateness in using colored LED

light in incubators considering the color of light used.

Ho3: There is no significant interaction among the type and color of light used, hatchability rate of the

eggs, vitality, mortality and chick performance upon hatching.

SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY:

Providing the correct kind of light will help boost incubation period among native chicken

eggs, thus resulting in higher and better chicken production rate. Through this study, the use of colored

LED lights in chicken incubators will stress its eco-friendly benefits such as high energy efficiency,

long life, high reliability and low maintenance costs, therefore making hatching native chicken eggs

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more effective. Through this study, large scale producers will be benefited since using colored LED

lights will have positive effects to chicken eggs in terms of the period of hatchability, chick

performance upon hatching, and increasing vitality rate.

SCOPE AND LIMITATION:

 This study will focus in using only the three kinds of experimental colored LED lights such as

red, blue and yellow and incandescent light as the controlled light.

 Native chicken eggs will be used in the experiment.

 The study will be conducted in 21-day experimental period.

 Conventional means of using incubator will be done in which temperature and humidity are set

at standard level.

PROCEDURE:

This study will be carried out at the residence of one of the proponents. To make this

experiment possible, the following materials will be needed: 4 improvised 1 x 1 ft. incubators, 3 pieces

25W LED light bulbs, 1 piece 25W incandescent light bulb, power source, 8 pieces fertilized native

chicken eggs, dish with water, dried hay, and thermometer.

Four improvised incubators will be made; one with incandescent lighting and 3 others with

colored LED lighting, all with 25W light bulb, all connected to a power source. Two (2) fertilized

native chicken eggs will be placed in each incubator. The eggs will be incubated 24 hours of the basic

incandescent lighting (Set-up A) as the controlled set-up and 24 hours of complete colored LED

lighting, Set-up B with yellow LED light, Set-up C red LED light and Set-up D with blue LED light,

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as the experimental groups. After setting the condition of the artificial environment, the eggs will be

carefully monitored through the conventional way of incubating the eggs in terms of turning and

candling, until the eggs reach the expected hatching period of 21 days.

REFERENCES:

 Breed data sheet: Darag/Philippines. Domestic Animal Diversity Information System of the

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. Accessed October 2014

 Gongruttananun, N. Influence of red light on reproductive performance, eggshell ultrastructure,

and eye morphology in Thai-native hens. Poult. Sci. 90, 2855–2863 (2011).

 Hassan, M. R., Sultana, S., S. Choe, H. & S. Ryu, K. Effect of Combinations of

Monochromatic LED Light Color on the Performance and Behavior of Laying Hens. J. Poult.

Sci. 51, 321-326 (2014).

 Huber-Eicher B., A. Suter and P. Spring-Stähli. 2013. Effects of colored light-emitting diode

illumination on behavior and performance of laying hens. Poult. Sci. 92(4):869-873. doi:

10.3382/ps.2012-02679

 Pyrzak, R., Snapir, N., Goodman, G. & Perek, M. The effect of light wave length on the

production and quality of eggs of the domestic hen. Theriogenology 28, 947–960.

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