The Hatchery Unit is established for the production of day-old chicks from fertile eggs produced by the parent flock. Infrastructure Two Setter-cum-Hatcher Machines. Capacity: 600 eggs per machine. Scientific incubation and hatching management. Production of quality chicks throughout the year. Importance of Hatchery Unit Ensures continuous supply of improved chicks. Supports backyard poultry development programmes. Produces healthy and uniform chicks. Reduces dependency on external chick suppliers. Facilitates timely distribution of chicks to farmers. Brooding Unit The Brooding Unit is designed for scientific rearing of newly hatched chicks during their critical early growth period. Management Practice Chicks produced from the hatchery are transferred to the brooding shed immediately after hatching. Proper temperature, feeding, watering, and health care are maintained. Chicks are brooded for approximately one month. After completion of the brooding period, healthy and vaccinated chicks are distributed to farmers. Importance of Brooding Reduces early chick mortality. Promotes uniform growth. Improves survivability under field conditions. Ensures strong and healthy birds for backyard farming. Indigenous Poultry Bird Unit The Indigenous Poultry Bird Unit is maintained for conservation, multiplication, and demonstration of native poultry genetic resources. Objectives Conservation of indigenous poultry germplasm. Demonstration of native bird management. Awareness regarding the importance of indigenous breeds. Promotion of low-input poultry farming systems. Benefits of Indigenous Birds Better adaptability to local climatic conditions. Disease tolerance. Excellent scavenging ability. Preferred by consumers for taste and quality. Suitable for free-range production systems. Distribution of Improved Poultry Birds to Farmers One of the major activities of the Poultry Demonstration Unit is the distribution of improved poultry birds to farmers, rural women, self-help groups, and aspiring poultry entrepreneurs. Distribution Process Fertile eggs are produced from the parent flock. Eggs are incubated in the hatchery unit. Chicks are hatched and transferred to the brooding shed. Chicks are reared scientifically for one month. Vaccinated and healthy birds are distributed to farmers for backyard poultry farming. Importance of the Poultry Demonstration Unit Promotes backyard poultry farming as a livelihood enterprise. Improves household nutritional security through egg and meat production. Generates supplementary income for rural families. Encourages women participation in poultry-based enterprises. Demonstrates scientific poultry production technologies. Provides practical training to farmers, rural youth, students, and entrepreneurs. Produces and supplies quality chicks of improved poultry breeds. Impact on Rural Livelihoods The Poultry Demonstration Unit plays an important role in enhancing income, employment, and nutritional security among rural households. Through the production and distribution of improved poultry birds, the unit supports sustainable backyard poultry farming and contributes to the socio-economic development of farming communities. “The Poultry Demonstration Unit at KVK serves as a model centre for production, brooding, and dissemination of improved poultry birds, enabling farmers to adopt scientific backyard poultry farming for better income and nutritional security.” The KVK hatchery unit is equipped with two incubators-cum-hatchers, with a combined capacity to handle 400 eggs at a time for chick production. Fertile eggs are first placed in the incubator trays for incubation, and after 18 days, the eggs are transferred to the hatcher trays for successful hatching. The hatchery unit is utilized for the production of indigenous (desi) poultry chicks as well as improved poultry varieties. The chicks produced are supplied to farmers for backyard poultry farming promotion and are also used in the KVK poultry demonstration units. This facility supports the dissemination of quality poultry germplasm, promotes self-employment opportunities in rural areas, and strengthens extension activities aimed at enhancing sustainable poultry-based livelihood security.