Effect of Pre-Incubation Storage Periods on Weight Loss, Embryonic Development, and Hatchability of Pullet Eggs

This study was carried out to determine the effect of pre-incubation storage periods on egg weight loss, embryonic development and hatchability of hatching pullet eggs. Three hundred eggs were used for this experiment. The eggs were sourced on five different days (sixty eggs per day) at three days interval (day 0, 3, 6, 9, and 12) and weighed. The sixty (60) eggs collected on each day were subdivided into three replicates of twenty eggs each. Data obtained were subjected to one-way analysis of variance. Results showed that egg weight loss during incubation was inversely (P<0.05) influenced by the preincubation storage periods. Pre-incubation storage periods did not significantly (P>0.05) affect yolk weight, albumen height and Haugh unit value. The relative embryonic development showed a uniform and continuous increment in the rate of embryonic development in the different storage periods. Eggs stored for a few days had higher (P<0.05) hatchability than those set in the incubator on the day of oviposition. Hatchability was adversely (P<0.05) affected by prolong egg storage. It could be concluded that hatching eggs should neither be set in incubator on the day of oviposition nor subjected to pre-incubation storage period more than 6 days at 18oC for higher hatchability. (