Pilikula chirps with artificially hatched birds

More than 25 birds in Pilikula Biological Park born out of incubators

A Moscovy duck born after being artificially hatched in an incubator at Pilikula Biological Park. — PHOTO: RAVIPRASAD KAMILA

If you spot jungle fowls Moscovy ducks or yellow and red pheasants chirping in Pilikula Biological Park, they could have been born through artificial hatching of eggs.

The park has gone a step forward after the success of captive breeding of animals. It took up artificial hatching of eggs of some birds under controlled environment a year ago. As a result, more than 25 birds have born in this fashion, according to its director H. Jayaprakash Bhandary.

The park took to artificial hatching as some birds in captivity (in aviary) got disturbed by the movement of visitors and some birds did not sit on eggs for hatching. As a result success rate was less, he told

The Hindu .

Thus, some grey and red jungle fowl, Moscovy ducks and yellow and red pheasants have born out of hatching in a controlled environment, he said.

Mr. Bhandary said that eggs were first put in an incubator for the hatching process under a controlled environment. Once the young ones came out of eggs they would be shifted to a brooder for a few days.

Then the young ones would be shifted to a mini cage and once they grew up, they are moved to the aviary. The entire process of artificial hatching would take between 21 days and 24 days.