The following history is reproduced from International Hatchery Practise, 1(2), p.31.

"On 15 May 1975, a meeting of Sub-committee No. 6 (then concerned with "Physiological Aspects of Incubation" but nowadays with "Reproduction") of the European Federation of Branches of the World's Poultry Science Association was held at the Poultry Research Centre at Roslin, Midlothian, Scotland. Mr Harry Lundy, head of the Environmental Physiology section, organised a successful accompanying scientific programme which attracted a large audience.
   During that programme, a number of people expressed an interest in the possibility of forming an informal Incubation Research Group. The first meeting took place on 15 and 16 July 1976 at the University of Bath.
   In April 1978, a joint meeting was held with the British Ornithological Union at Royal Holloway College, London.
   The Group held a second meeting in 1978 at the Wildfowl Trust at Martin Mere. In 1980 another meeting was held at the University of Bath. Here the Incubation Research Group became more formal and it was agreed to hold annual meetings, which have been held ever since.
   From time to time, there have also been joint meetings with other organisations. These were in 1976 with the Immunology Society, in 1982 with the Society of Applied Biology and in 1983 with the British Veterinary Poultry Association.
   The Group is now active and strong and many feel its strength lies in the informal atmosphere of its meetings and the wide range of topics covered. Nowadays, meetings are attended by incubationists from throughout Britain and from further afield and from research, commerce, industry and the academic world."

The name of the group was the Incubation Research Group (IRG) up to 1995 when it was decided to expand the remit of the group to include fertility and so the name was changed to the Incubation and Fertility Research Group. In 1998, an association was made between the World's Poultry Science Association when the IFRG adopted the European Branches' Working Group 6 - Reproduction.

International Hatchery Practise, 1(2) - 1986.

International Hatchery Practise, 1(3) - 1986.

1987: University of Reading (Charles Deeming)

International Hatchery Practise, 2(3) - 1987.

International Hatchery Practise, 2(4) - 1987.

1988: Game Conservancy (John Beer)

International Hatchery Practise, 3(3) - 1988.

International Hatchery Practise, 3(4) - 1988.

1990: Harper Adams Agricultural College, Shropshire (Brian Hodgetts)

1991: Wildfowl Trust, Slimbridge (Geoff Proffitt and Charles Deeming)

International Hatchery Practise, 5(8) - 1991.

1992: Birkbeck College, London (Glenn Baggott)

International Hatchery Practise, 7(2) - 1992.

1993: Scottish Agricultural College, Ayr (Brian Speake, Ray Noble & Nick Sparks)

International Hatchery Practise, 8(5) - 1994.

1994: University of Warwick (Charles Deeming)

International Hatchery Practise, 9(2) - 1994.

1995: University of Warwick (Charles Deeming)

International Hatchery Practise, 10(2) - 1995.

1996: University of Warwick (Nick French).

International Hatchery Practise, 11(2) - 1996.

International Hatchery Practise, 11(3) - 1996.

1997: Scottish Agricultural College (Nick Sparks, Brian Speake and Ray Noble)

International Hatchery Practise, 12(2) - 1997.

1998: University of Warwick (Glenn Baggott)

International Hatchery Practise, 13(2) - 1998.

1999: Vinci Conference Center, Tours, France (Jean-Pierre Brillard)

International Hatchery Practise, 14(2) - 1999.