Hatchery Management Software

Hatchery Management Software: From Eggs In to Chicks Out — Every Batch Traceable, Every Hatch Rate Calculated

Do you know which setter has which batch right now, and what the first candling showed? Livestocker tracks every tray, every machine and every batch through the full incubation process — with hatch rates, candling results and vaccination records calculated and linked automatically.

What hatchery managers tell us before switching to Livestocker

Three problems that every hatchery encounters when machine load, candling results and batch records exist in separate places.

Nobody knows what's in which machine right now

When you have six setters running overlapping batches from multiple supplier flocks, the current machine load lives in someone's head or on a whiteboard. If they're off sick, nobody knows what to transfer to the hatcher tomorrow — or what was set from which flock.

Hatch rate is calculated manually — and inconsistently

At the end of each batch, someone subtracts dead-in-shell and culls from total chicks hatched and divides by eggs set. The formula varies between batches, clears are sometimes counted differently, and the number is never stored against the machine or the supplier flock for later comparison.

Candling results and vaccination aren't connected to the batch record

First and second candling results are noted on paper beside the machine. Vaccination records are kept separately by the vet. Neither is linked to the batch's final hatch rate — so there is no way to correlate early fertility indicators with hatch outcomes across batches.

Supplier flock performance has never been formally compared

You receive hatching eggs from multiple breeder flocks. Some deliver consistently better hatch rates. But without structured data linking supplier flock to batch outcome, the comparison can only be made from memory — which means the best performers go unrecognised and the worst go unchallenged.

What Hatchery Management Software does in Livestocker

Every stage of the incubation process — from egg intake through setter, candling, hatcher and chick delivery — is tracked in a single, connected system.

Feature What it means
Incubation Planning Schedule eggs-in by setter, supplier flock and planned transfer date. The machine availability planner shows current load versus capacity for every setter and hatcher — so you know what space is available before eggs arrive.
Setter → Hatcher Transfer Transfer events are logged with tray counts per batch. The system confirms that the transfer matches the original setting record and flags any discrepancies before they become a traceability issue at hatch.
1st + 2nd Candling Recording Clear, dead and doubtful egg counts from both candling sessions are recorded against the batch. Results are linked automatically to the supplier flock and to the final hatch rate — enabling correlation analysis over time.
Hatch Rate Calculation Hatch rate, fertility rate and dead-in-shell percentage are calculated automatically from setting data and hatch results — no manual formula. Calculated per batch, per machine, per supplier flock and per period.
Vaccination Records In-ovo and day-of-hatch vaccinations are recorded against each batch — product, dose, operator and date. Records are stored with the batch history and available for traceability queries and veterinary audit.
Hatchery Financial Settlement Settlement calculations for custom hatching arrangements are generated automatically — eggs in, chicks out, hatch rate, agreed price — and exported as a signed settlement document for the customer.
Machine Availability Planner Live view of current and scheduled occupancy for every setter and hatcher. Plan incoming egg deliveries against available capacity without relying on whiteboards or notebooks to track what's running.
Historical Batch Comparison Compare any two batches — same machine, same supplier flock, or same week of the year — across hatch rate, fertility, dead-in-shell and candling clear percentage. Identify patterns that predict strong or weak hatch performance.

KPIs Livestocker calculates — automatically

Every hatchery performance metric, calculated from the batch data your team already enters — and linked to the supplier flock, machine and incubation conditions for each batch.

84.7%
Hatch Rate % (of eggs set)
91.2%
Fertility Rate %
3.8%
Dead-in-Shell %
7.1%
1st Candling Clear %
93.1
Chicks per 100 Eggs Set
87.4%
Machine Utilization %

Know Your Hatch Rate Per Batch — Not at Month-End A 30-minute demo shows the full incubation workflow — setter planning, candling recording, hatch rate calculation and supplier flock comparison — live in Livestocker.

Book Hatchery Demo

Connected to the rest of your operation

Hatchery data connects forward to broiler placement and backward to the breeder flock — closing the production chain in one integrated system.

Frequently asked questions

Yes. Each species is configured as a separate production type within the hatchery module, with its own incubation programme, candling schedule and hatch day. Setters and hatchers can be allocated to species or shared — the machine availability planner shows occupancy by species and by batch simultaneously. KPIs are calculated and compared within species.
When you perform contract incubation for an outside customer, Livestocker generates the settlement document automatically. It pulls the agreed price per chick delivered, the total chicks out from the customer's batch, any rejects or culls, and calculates the settlement amount. The document is generated as a PDF and can be signed digitally within the platform — no manual preparation required.
Yes. Tray-level candling records can be entered if your operation requires that level of detail — for example, when investigating machine hot-spots or when supplier flock eggs are mixed within a setter and need to be distinguished at candling. For operations that candling by batch rather than by tray, the batch-level recording is the default and requires less data entry.
There is no hard limit on the number of setters and hatchers configured in the system. Small hatcheries with two or three machines and large operations with twenty or more machines use the same platform. Each machine has its own record, capacity configuration and occupancy calendar. The availability planner scales to your full machine inventory.

Know Your Hatch Rate Per Batch — Not at Month-End

Book a 30-minute demo and see how Livestocker tracks every batch through your hatchery — from egg intake to chick delivery — with hatch rates, candling results and supplier flock performance all calculated automatically.

Book a Free Demo