Hatching distribution of eggs varying in weight and breeder age

Abstract

Broiler chicks from one incubator hatch within long periods of time, which leads to dehydration and reduction in yolk sac reserves of those chicks that have hatched earlier and potentially impairs early performance. The present research investigated the hatching distribution at intervals of incubation using eggs of different weights within one breeder age or eggs from widely different breeder ages. Eggs from breeders at 27 and 59 weeks of age (54 and 69 g) and from breeders at 40 weeks of age, which were graded as light (58 g) and heavy (73 g), were placed in a commercial incubator. There were a total of 1,184 eggs distributed in four treatments and eight replicates: eggs from 27-week-old breeders (27B), eggs from 59-week-old breeders (59B), light eggs from 40-week-old breeders (40BL) and heavy eggs from 40-weekold breeders (40BH). Replicates were comprised of 37 eggs that were placed in each incubator tray. The treatments were physically separated from each other using a plate. Eggs were transferred to a hatcher after 432 hours of incubation and the first chick hatched at 449 hours of incubation. Afterwards, the number of completely hatched chicks from each replicate was recorded at six-hour intervals until 503 hours of incubation, when the hatchings stopped. Hatched chicks were removed from the trays after each measurement. Data were submitted to an analysis of variance with repeated measures. There was a significant interaction between breeder age and incubation length. The hatching onset of eggs from the old breeders was later compared to young breeders. Hatchability (%incubated eggs) was lower for the old breeders; however, differences in hatchability as a percentage of the hatched eggs were not so evident. Complete hatchability occurred only at 503 hours of incubation; however, more than 90% eggs had hatched 18 hours earlier.

Effects of egg size (weight) and age on hatching performance and chick quality of broiler breeder

“…However, in the present study, hatched chicks of Hubbard Classic breeder had more weight at any age of breeder than those of Arbor Acres, Cobb and Ross mentioned in the above study. In another study, maximum chick weight (51 vs. 40.3 g) was accomplished in 59-weeks-old Ross-38 breeders as compared to young breeder at 40 weeks of age (Vieira et al 2005). A similar trend was observed in the present experiment: maximum chick weight (70.04 vs. 67.67 g) was attained in 60-weeks-old Hubbard breeder compared to 45-weeks-old breeder.…”

“…It is known that a positive correlation exists between egg size and chick weight in broiler chickens (Abiola et al 2008). Vieira et al (2005) found that more chick weight (53.4 vs. 41 g) obtained from large egg size (72.7 ± 2.5 g) as compared to small egg size (57.7 ± 1.8 g) in 40-weeks-old Ross-38 breeders. Similar trend was observed in the current experiment: chicks gained more weight (47.50 vs. 40.0 g) from large egg size (70 g) than that of small egg size (60 g) at mid (45 weeks) stage of production in Hubbard breeder.…”

“…The workers hypothesized that these results might have been due to a combined effect of high embryonic heat production and lower than optimal ventilation in the setter because of increased egg size. Vieira et al (2005) found that eggs from old Ross-38 breeders (59 weeks old) were known to have an overall reduction in hatchability (73.5%) when compared to those from young breeder (88.3% and 82.3% for 27 and 40 weeks old, respectively), which is mostly related with increased embryo mortality and reduction in fertility. Similar results were obtained in the present study in which fertility and hatchability reduced and increased embryonic mortality (P ≥ 0.05) with advancing the age of Hubbard breeder.…”

The Effects of Different Eggshell Temperatures Between Embryonic Day 10 and 18 on Broiler Performance and Susceptibility to Ascites

“…Factors such as breeder age, egg weight, hatchable egg storage conditions, season (Wilson, 1991), and incubation temperature (French, 1994;Wilson, 1991) influence total incubation time. Vieira et al (2005) observed that 90% of eggs hatched at 485 hours and that the hatchlings remained for 19 hours in the hatcher to allow the remaining 10% to hatch. In the present study, hatching in high EST group was completed before 26 hours, although hatching in low EST group was completed only after 10 hours than control EST group.…”

Domestication and early experiences in chickens: Behavior, stress and gene expression

“…It is likely that intrinsic factors of the hatching chick will affect its hatching time, as studies have shown effects of breed and age of the mother (Ruiz and Lunam, 2002;Ulmer-Franco et al, 2010;Vieira et al, 2005), size of the egg (Careghi et al, 2005;Ulmer-Franco et al, 2010;Vieira et al, 2005), and sex of the chick (Reis et al, 1997;van de Ven et al, 2011). It is also known that differences in the developmental phase of chicken embryos incubated at the same time arise very early in incubation (Hamburger and Hamilton, 1951).…”