Construction costs developed for the buildings range from $8.45 a 

 square foot for hatchery A to $6.85 for hatchery H. The cost figures 

 include the building itself and heating, ventilation, electrical and plumb- 

 ing systems. Costs of construction are given in table 6. 



Hatching Equipment Investment 



Equipment is the largest investment item for a hatchery. Most of 

 this investment is required for incubating and hatching units. Other 

 investment items include egg traying, tray washing, stand-by generating, 

 and miscellaneous equipment. 



Many combinations and sizes of incubating and hatching equipment 

 were found available for purchase by hatchery operators. This equip- 

 ment was rated by hatching egg capacity, and this rating was generally 

 based on eggs weighing 26 ounces per dozen. However, hatching eggs 

 range from 22 to 28 ounces a dozen, and operators have been known to 

 use smaller eggs when hatching eggs were scarce. Consequently, rated 

 capacity is a relative measurement instead of absolute. By using the 

 standard egg capacity rating, combinations of a particular make and type 

 of inculiating and hatching equipment were derived equivalent to the 

 model hatchery capacities. No physical breakdown is given since this 

 would identify the manufacturer. 



Hatcheries B through H are each equipped with a vacuum lift egg 

 traying machine. Hatcheries E through H each are equipped with a tray 

 washing machine of the same model and manufacture. Budget and labor 

 requirement analyses were used to determine which hatchery should be 

 equipped with mechanized methods of accomplishing these operations. 



Each hatchery is equipped with a stand-by generator and automatic 

 line transfer equipment for use in event of electrical failures. Estimates 

 on the type and capacity required by the model hatcheries were devel- 

 oped from data on electricity demands and usage in operating hatcher- 

 ies. This equipment has sufficient capacity to meet normal demands and 

 allow the hatcheries to continue to operate without curtailing output. 



Miscellaneous equipment items include egg tray carts, work tables, 

 office equipment, pumps, and other minor items essential to hatchery 

 operations. Inputs of these items are synthesized. 



Tal)le 7 summarizes the investment in equipment for eight model 

 hatcheries. Investment was determined from price lists furnished by 

 equipment manufacturers plus costs of transportation and installation. 



Investment per egg of hatching capacity decreases discontinuously 

 with increasing hatchery capacity (tal)le 7). Investment decreases from 

 19.47 cents per egg for hatchery A to 17.70 cents per egg for hatchery H. 

 Investment per egg is higher for hatcheries B and E than their immedi- 

 ate predecessors. This reflects adoption of egg traying equipment in 

 hatchery B and a tray washer in hatchery E. 



Investment for Debeaking and Vaccination 



The debeaking operation requires additional investment in equip- 

 ment. Since hatchery A performs the debeaking operation independent 

 of the chick removal, counting, and boxing operation, only a small invest- 

 ment is necessary in conventional debeaking equipment. Another type of 

 machine that combines debeaking with the chick removal, counting, and 



17 



