A mission to find the best start for every chick
As the oldest branded chicken company in America, Bell & Evans works hard every single day to live up to the high standards and premium image their customers expect. A few years ago, the company went on a mission to find the absolute best way to take care of newly hatched chicks — travelling all over Europe, visiting hatcheries and meeting with everyone selling hatchery equipment today. That journey led Bell & Evans to partner with HatchTech and adopt the HatchCare system.
The philosophy behind HatchCare is simple, yet incredibly powerful: providing feed and water directly in the hatcher tray. Having nourishment right there the moment the chicks hatch is what really makes this system work. Historically, hatcheries have had to closely worry about the “hatch window,” but with HatchCare, that concern is minimized. Because the chicks have immediate access to food and water, they get a much better start and show better overall health throughout the entire flock.
Real results on the farm
The actual results of implementing HatchCare have been even better than originally expected:
<1% 7-day mortality rate · 98% of all viable embryos successfully hatch · higher chick weights than ever seen before · excellent feed conversion throughout the flocks.
The hatchability performance was so strong that Bell & Evans had to readjust their projections to ensure proper, accurate placement across their farms. When the chicks arrive at the farm, they are visibly more active because they’ve already eaten and drunk.
A common-sense victory for animal welfare
One of the biggest advantages of this system is how much it reduces stress on the young animals. HatchCare has allowed Bell & Evans to completely eliminate high-speed counters. Instead of undergoing stressful handling, the chicks are delivered to the farm in the very same basket they hatched in. This minimal handling promotes a much calmer, healthier, and better start on the farm.
“At its core, this isn’t rocket science—it’s a common-sense, major improvement in animal welfare and overall quality. The HatchCare system is a vital supporter of our brand, helping us bring a grade-A chicken to our customers and serving as a huge piece of our story moving forward.”
— Bell & Evans