Expert | Chick transport

Maintaining a uniform temperature environment is crucial during the incubation process, but it’s just as important for the phase that follows: transportation to the broiler house. For this very reason, HatchTech has developed HatchTraveller. In this article, HatchTech Research Manager, dr. Inge van Roovert, offers an in-depth insight into optimal chick transportation conditions and how to achieve them.

HatchTraveller is an innovative solution designed for maintaining superior chick quality during transit, by creating a highly controlled, uniform climate within the trailer. How do you create this uniformity? Dr. Inge van Roovert, Research Manager at HatchTech, explains: “A uniform climate during chick transport is created through a combination of four factors: airflow, air velocity, air temperature and relative humidity. All these factors are incorporated in the design of HatchTraveller.”  

The design and the climate inside the truck are both equally important and must be perfectly aligned. Inge explains why: “Simply designing a truck trailer to provide a uniform temperature is not enough. The other three environmental factors have to be in balance as well. The temperature must be adjustable according to the given air velocity and relative humidity. With HatchTraveller, the temperature inside the trailer can easily be regulated by adjusting the amount of fresh air.”

Dr. Inge van Roovert:

"You can assess whether your chicks are comfortable by observing their behaviour. Behaviour means more than a thermometer. Chicks who huddle or pant are not comfortable” 

Dr. Inge van Roovert

Research Manager