Effect of short-term storage on hatchability and total incubation period of breeder hatching eggs [Kuluçkalik yumurtalari kisa süreli depolamanin çikiş gücü ve kuluçka süresi üzerine etkileri]

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of short-term storage on hatching performance and the length of the incubation period of broiler breeder eggs. A total 3600 eggs from a 42-week-old commercial broiler breeder flock were stored for 0 hours, 6 hours, 3 days or 7 days and then placed in the same incubator. The fertility, embryonic mortality, hatchability of fertile eggs and malpositions were determined. The numbers of hatching chicks were recorded at 468, 474, 480, 486, 492, 498 and 504 hours of the incubation. The results of present study suggested that short-term storage did not affect hatchability and embryonic mortality. But storage of eggs caused an increase in total incubation period. The peak hatching times of eggs stored for 0 and 6 hours were 486 and 492 hours, and of eggs stored for 3 days and 7 days were 492 and 498 hours