Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-jkksz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-27T23:30:18.708Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Pre-incubation holding of hatching eggs

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 September 2007

R. Meijerhof
R. Meijerhof
Affiliation:
Spelderholt Centre for Poultry Research and Information Services (COVP-DLO), Spelderholt 9, 7360 AA Beekbergen, The Netherlands
Get access

Abstract

The time between a hatching egg being produced and set in an incubator can be divided into a laying house period and a storage period. The period in the laying house affects hatching results by the stage of embryonic development at oviposition as well as by the subsequent environmental conditions. Advanced embryonic development at oviposition or prior to storage seems to improve hatchability, especially when storage is prolonged. Stage of embryonic development at oviposition is influenced by parental age, strain, individual bird variation and clutch length. After oviposition and before storage embryonic development can be influenced by the type of nest, egg collection pattern and temperature.

During storage, hatchability is influenced by the length of the storage period, temperature, humidity, gaseous environment and the orientation of the eggs. A decrease in hatchability can be detected in eggs stored for 2–3 days or more. Storage temperature should be decreased with extended length of storage. Temporary heating before incubation and enclosing eggs in plastic bags during storage improves hatchability, especially when storage is prolonged. A high humidity during storage also improves hatchability, probably due to a reduction in water loss. The changes in albumen pH during storage are discussed in so far as they provide a possible explanation for relationships between environmental conditions during storage and hatching results.

Keywords

Developmentembryoenvironmenthatchabilityhatching eggsincubationstoragetemperature
Type
Research Article
Information
World's Poultry Science Journal , Volume 48 , Issue 1 , March 1992 , pp. 57 - 68
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1992

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Arora, K.L. (1965) Early embryogenesis of chickens and turkeys as related to the pre-incubation history of eggs and parental genotypes. PhD Thesis, Washington State University, USAGoogle Scholar
Arora, K.L. and Kosin, I.L. (1964) Selection for traits in the mature domestic turkey yields correlative responses in embryos. Genetics 50: 232–233Google Scholar
Arora, K.L. and Kosin, I.L. (1966a) Changes in the gross morphological appearance of chicken and turkey blastoderms during pre-incubation storage. Poultry Science 45: 819–825Google Scholar
Arora, K.L. and Kosin, I.L. (1966b) Developmental responses of early turkey and chicken embryos to pre-incubation holding of eggs: inter- and intra-species differences. Poultry Science 45: 958–970Google Scholar
Arora, K.L. and Matsumoto, L.H. (1968) Early embryogenesis of chicken eggs of different weights. Proceedings of the Iowa Academy of Science 75: 405–415Google Scholar
Bakst, M.R. and Howarth, B. (1977) Hydrolysis of the hen's perivitelline layer by cock sperm in vitro. Biology of Reproduction 17: 370–379Google Scholar
Becker, W.A. (1960) The storage of hatching eggs and the post-hatching body weights of chicken. Poultry Science 39: 588–599CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Becker, W.A. (1964) The storage of White Leghorn hatching eggs in plastic bags. Poultry Science 43: 1109–1112CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Becker, W.A. and Bearse, G.E. (1958) Pre-incubation warming and hatchability of chicken eggs. Poultry Science 37: 944–948CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Becker, W.A., Spencer, J.V. and Swartwood, J.L. (1964) The pre-incubation storage of turkey eggs in closed environments. Poultry Science 43: 1526–1534CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Becker, W.A., Spencer, J.V. and Swartwood, J.L. (1968) Carbon dioxide during storage of chicken and turkey hatching eggs. Poultry Science 47: 251–258CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bernier, P.E., Taylor, L.W. and Gunns, C.A. (1951) The relative effects of inbreeding and outbreeding on reproduction in the domestic fowl. Hilgardia 20: 529–628Google Scholar
Bohren, B.B., Crittenden, L.B. and King, R.T. (1961) Hatching time and hatchability in the fowl. Poultry Science 40: 620–633Google Scholar
Byng, A.L. and Nash, D. (1962) The effects of egg storage on hatchability. British Poultry Science 3: 81–87CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Coleman, J.W. and Siegel, P.B. (1966) Selection for body weight at eight weeks of age. 5. Embryonic state at oviposition and its relationship to hatchability. Poultry Science 45: 1008–1011Google Scholar
Coleman, J.W., Siegel, H.S. and Siegel, P.B. (1964) Embryonic development of two lines of White Rocks. Poultry Science 43: 453–458CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Cooney, W.T. (1943) Pre-incubation humidity variation effects on chicken egg hatchability. Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station Technical Bulletin 2Google Scholar
Crittenden, L.B. and Bohren, B.B. (1962) The effects of current egg production, time in production age of pullet and inbreeding on hatchability and hatching time. Poultry Science 41: 426–433Google Scholar
Dawes, C.M. (1975) Acid-base relationships within the avian egg. Biological Reviews 50: 351–371Google Scholar
Edwards, C.L. (1902) The physiological zero and the index of development for the egg of the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus). American Journal of Physiology 351–397Google Scholar
Fasenko, G.M., Robinson, F.E., Armstrong, J.G. et al. (1991) Variability in preincubation embryo development in domestic fowl. 1. Effects of nest holding time and method of egg storage. Poultry Science 70: 1876–1881Google Scholar
Fletcher, D.A., Orr, M.L., Snyder, E.S. and Nicholson, A.O. (1959) Effect of oiling, packaging materials and addition of CO2 on quality of shell eggs held in storage. Poultry Science 38: 106–111CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Funk, E.M. (1934) Factors influencing hatchability in the domestic fowl. Missouri Agricultural Experimental Station Bulletin 341Google Scholar
Funk, E.M. and Biellier, H.V. (1944) The minimum temperature for embryonic development in the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus). Poultry Science 23: 538–540Google Scholar
Funk, E.M. and Forward, J.F. (1951) Effect of humidity and turning of eggs before incubation on hatching results. Missouri Agricultural Experimental Station Bulletin 554Google Scholar
Funk, E.M. and Forward, J.F. (1960) Effect of holding temperature on hatchability of chicken eggs. Missouri Agricultural Experimental Station Bulletin 732Google Scholar
Funk, E.M., Forward, J. and Kempster, H.L. (1950) Effect of holding temperature on hatchability of eggs. Missouri Agricultural Experimental Station Bulletin 539Google Scholar
Gillespie, J.I. and McHanwell, S. (1987) Measurement of intraembryonic pH during the early stages of development in the chick embryo. Cell and Tissue Research 247: 445–451Google Scholar
Goodrum, J.W., Britton, W.M. and Davis, J.B. (1989) Effect of storage conditions on albumen pH and subsequent hard-cooked eggs peelability and albumen shear strength. Poultry Science 68: 1226–1231CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hays, F.A. and Nicolaides, C. (1934) Variability in development of fresh-laid hen eggs. Poultry Science 13: 74–90Google Scholar
Howarth, B Jr. (1970) An examination for sperm capacitation in the fowl. Biology of Reproduction 3: 338–341CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Hulet, R.M., Christensen, V.L. and Bagley, L.G. (1987) Controlled egg weight loss during incubation of turkey eggs. Poultry Science 66: 428–432Google Scholar
Kaltofen, R.S. (1969) The effect of air movements on hatchability and weight loss of chicken eggs during artificial incubation. In: The Fertility and Hatchability of the Hen's Egg (Eds Carter, T.C. and Freeman, B.M.), Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, pp. 177–189Google Scholar
Kaltofen, R.S. and El-Jack, M.H. (1972) Optimum temperatures for short-term storage of 1 to 7 day-old hatching eggs. Archiv für Geflügelkunde 36: 116–120Google Scholar
Kaufman, L. (1939) An experimental study of the effects of storage on embryonal development of hens' eggs. Proceedings, Seventh World's Poultry Congress and Exposition,Cleveland, Ohio, USA 186–187Google Scholar
Kirk, S., Emmans, G.C., McDonald, R. and Arnot, D. (1980) Factors affecting the hatchability of eggs from broiler breeders. British Poultry Science 21: 37–53CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kosin, I.L. (1956) Studies on pre-incubation warming of chicken and turkey eggs. Poultry Science 35: 1384–1392Google Scholar
Kosin, I.L. (1964) Recent research trends in hatchability-related problems of the domestic fowl. World's Poultry Science Journal 20: 254–268Google Scholar
Kosin, I.L. and Arora, K.L. (1966) The pattern of early embryonic development in two genetically isolated lines of Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys. Poultry Science 45: 622–629Google Scholar
Kosin, I.L. and Konishi, T. (1973) Pre-incubation storage conditions and their effect on the subsequent livability of chicken embryos: exogenous CO2, plastic bags and extended holding periods as factors. Poultry Science 52: 296–302Google Scholar
Kosin, I.L. and Mun, A.M. (1965) Some factors affecting the biological quality of turkey hatching eggs. Poultry Science 44: 31–39Google Scholar
Kucera, P. and Raddatz, E. (1980) Spatio-temporal micro-measurements of the oxygen uptake in the developing chick embryo. Respiration Physiology 39: 199–215Google Scholar
Lancaster, F.M. and Jones, D.R. (1986) The pre-heating of broiler hatching eggs prior to storage. British Poultry Science 27: 157Google Scholar
Lancaster, F.M. and Jones, D.R. (1988) Cooling of broiler hatching eggs during incubation. British Poultry Science 29: 597–604Google Scholar
Landauer, W. (1967) The hatchability of chicken eggs as influenced by environment and heredity. Monograph 1 (Revised), Storrs Agricultural Experiment Station, University of ConnecticutGoogle Scholar
Lundy, H. (1969) A review of the effect of temperature, humidity, turning and gaseous environment in the incubator on the hatchability of the hen's egg. In: The Fertility and Hatchability of the Hen's Egg (Eds Carter, T.C. and Freeman, B.M.) Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, pp. 143–176Google Scholar
Mather, C.M. and Laughlin, K.F. (1976) Storage of hatching eggs: the effect on total incubation period. British Poultry Science 17: 471–479Google Scholar
Mather, C.M. and Laughlin, K.F. (1977) Storage of hatching eggs: the effect on early embryonic development. British Poultry Science 18: 597–603CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mather, C.M. and Laughlin, K.F. (1979) Storage of hatching eggs: the interaction between parental age and early embryonic development. British Poultry Science 20: 595–604CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Mayes, F.J. and Takeballi, M.A. (1984) Storage of the eggs of the fowl (Gallus domesticus) before incubation: a review. World's Poultry Science Journal 40: 131–140CrossRefGoogle Scholar
McConachie, J.D., Jerome, F.N. and Pepper, W.F. (1960) The effect of pre-incubation treatments on the hatchability of chicken eggs. Poultry Science 39: 886–889Google Scholar
MacLaury, D.W. and Insko, W.M. (1968) Relation of preincubation factors and post-hatching performance to length of incubation period. 1. Effect of egg weight and storage time to length of incubation period. Poultry Science 47: 305–311CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
McNally, E.H. and Byerly, T.C. (1936) Variation in the development of embryos of hen's eggs. Poultry Science 15: 280–283Google Scholar
McNary, H.W., Bell, A.E. and Moore, C.H. (1960) The growth of inbred and hybrid chicken embryos. Poultry Science 39: 378–384Google Scholar
Merritt, E.S. (1964) Pre-incubation storage effects on subsequent performance of chicken. British Poultry Science 5: 67–73Google Scholar
Nikolaeva, J.N. (1958) The effect of periodically heating eggs during holding on changes in the blastodisc and in hatchability. Animal Breeding Abstracts 28: 1673Google Scholar
Perry, M.M. (1987) Nuclear events from fertilisation to the early cleavage stages in the domestic fowl (Gallus domesticus). Journal of Anatomy 150: 99–109Google Scholar
Proudfoot, F.G. (1964a) The effect of plastic packaging and other treatments on hatching eggs. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 44: 87–95Google Scholar
Proudfoot, F.G. (1964b) The effect of nitrogen and other gases on hatchability of eggs stored in plastic bags. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 44: 120–121Google Scholar
Proudfoot, F.G. (1965) The effect of film permeability and concentration of nitrogen, oxygen and helium gases on hatching eggs stored in polyethylene and Cryovac bags. Poultry Science 44: 636–644CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Proudfoot, F.G. (1966) Hatchability of stored chicken eggs as affected by daily turning during storage and pre-warming and vacuuming eggs enclosed in plastic with nitrogen. Canadian Journal of Animal Science 46: 47–50Google Scholar
Proudfoot, F.G. (1976) Care of hatching eggs before incubation. Canadian Department of Agriculture Publication No. 1573Google Scholar
Proudfoot, F.G. and Hulan, H.W. (1983) Care of hatching eggs before incubation. Agriculture Canada Publication No. 1573/EGoogle Scholar
Reinhart, B.S. and Hurnik, G.I. (1982) Hatching performance of Cryovac enclosed hatching eggs stored in a high humidity environment. Poultry Science 61: 564–566CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Romanoff, A.L. and Romanoff, A.J. (1949) The Avian Egg, Wiley, New YorkGoogle Scholar
Sauveur, B., Ferre, R. and Lacassagne, L. (1967) Conservation d'oeufs de poule sous atmosphere enrichie en gaz carbonique. Annales de Zootechnie 16: 351Google Scholar
Scott, H.M. (1933) The effect of age and holding temperature on hatchability of turkey and chicken eggs. Poultry Science 12: 351Google Scholar
Sharp, P.F. and Stewart, G.F. (1936) Effect of relative humidity on the growth of moulds on eggs in storage. Cornell University Agricultural Experimental Station Memois No. 91Google Scholar
Singal, D.P. and Kosin, I.L. (1969) Induced preincubation aging of the avian egg and subsequent development of the embryo, as revealed by the DNA, RNA and protein level of its spleen. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine 132: 871–877Google Scholar
Skoglund, W.C. and Brown, A.W. (1956) Frequency of gathering eggs upon hatchability. Poultry Science 35: 369–371Google Scholar
Smith, K.P. and Bohren, B.B. (1975) Age of pullet effects on hatching time, egg weight and hatchability. Poultry Science 54: 959–963Google Scholar
Spotila, J.R., Weinheimer, C.J. and Paganelli, C.V. (1981) Shell resistance and evaporative water loss from bird eggs: effect of wind speed and egg size. Physiological Zoology 54: 195–202Google Scholar
Stern, C.D. (1991) The sub-embryonic fluid of the egg of the domestic fowl and its relationship to the early development of the embryo. In: Avian Incubation (Ed. Tullett, S.G.), Butterworth-Heinemann, London, pp. 81–90Google Scholar
Sturkie, P.D. (1986) Avian Physiology, Springer-Verlag, New YorkCrossRefGoogle Scholar
Tandron, E., Garcia, M., Taboada, P. and Quinones, Y.R. (1983) Influencia del tiempo, temperatura de almacenamiento y pérdida de peso de los huevos sobre la incubación. Revista Avicultura 27: 123–129Google Scholar
Waite, R.H. (1919) The effect of age of eggs on their hatching quality. Maryland Agricultural Experimental Station Bulletin 233Google Scholar
Warren, D.C., Roff, H.A. and Long, E. (1965) Hatchability of eggs stored in plastic lined egg cases. Poultry Science 44: 1278–1280Google Scholar
Weisbroth, S.H. (1960) The morphological response of gastrulae from three genetic lines of Broad Breasted Bronze turkeys to pre-incubation storage. MS Thesis, Washington State University, USAGoogle Scholar
Weisbroth, S.H. and Kosin, I.L. (1966) Gross spatial changes in the turkey blastoderm following extended pre-incubation storage. Proceedings of the Society for Experimental Biology and Medicine 121: 795–800CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Wilson, H.A. (1991) Physiological requirements of the developing embryo: temperature and turning. In: Avian Incubation (Ed. Tullett, S.G.), Butterworth-Heinemann, London, pp. 145–156Google Scholar