Division 2.2.1 Sampling at the hatchery

At least one sample shall be taken per breeding flock on each sampling occasion.

Sampling must be arranged on a hatch day when samples from all breeding flocks are available. If not possible, it has to be guaranteed that samples are collected from every flock at least at the frequency laid down in point 2.1.

All material from all hatchers from which hatched chicks are removed on the sampling day shall contribute to the set of samples in a proportionate way.

If there are more than 50 000 eggs of one breeding flock in the hatchers, a second sample shall be collected from that flock.

The sample shall consist of at least:

1. (a)

   one composite sample of visibly soiled hatcher basket liners taken at random from five separate hatcher baskets or locations in the hatcher, to obtain a total sampling surface of at least 1 m²; if the hatching eggs from a breeding flock occupy more than one hatcher, then such a composite sample shall be taken from each hatcher up to a maximum of five; or

2. (b)

   one sample taken with one or several moistened fabric swab(s) of at least 900 cm² surface area in total, taken immediately after the removal of the chickens from the whole surface area of the bottom of at least a total of five hatcher baskets, or from fluff from five places, including on the floor, in each hatcher up to a maximum of five with hatched eggs from the flock, ensuring that at least one sample per flock from which eggs are derived, is taken; or

3. (c)

   10 g of broken eggshells taken from a total of 25 separate hatcher baskets, namely 250 g in the initial sample, in up to five hatchers with hatched eggs from the flock, crushed, mixed and sub-sampled to form a 25 g subsample for testing.

The procedure set out in points (a), (b) and (c) shall be followed for sampling at the initiative of the food business operator and as part of official controls. However, it shall not be mandatory to include a hatcher with eggs from different flocks if at least 80 % from the eggs are in other sampled hatchers.