Some hatching traits in Sinai chicken eggs as affected by flock age, dietary ascorbic acid supplementation and egg storage period under Egyptian conditions [electronic resouce].

Includes references.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effect of flock age, dietary ascorbic acid supplementation (AA) and egg storage period before incubation and their interactions on hatchability traits and newly hatched chick weight as well as eggs weight loss percentage during storage and incubation periods. A total number of 360 birds of Sinai chickens from both 40 and 60-wks-old (162 females and 18 males from each age) were used. Birds of each age were randomly divided into three treatment groups of three replicates (18 females and 2 males each), then the experimental birds were received diet supplemented with three levels of AA (0, 500 or 1000 mg /kg) for 12 weeks. Eggs produced from each treatment group for both flock ages were collected after dietary AA supplementation by 4 weeks, then divided into four storage periods (1-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12 days) before incubation at normal room conditions during March to May month under Egyptian conditions. Results indicated that eggs produced from the youngest flock age (40-wks-old) had better (P? 0.001) fertility and hatchability percentages of total set eggs than those from the oldest ones (60-wks-old), while embryonic mortality percent and chick weight at hatch were not significantly affected. Eggs produced from hens received 500 mg AA/kg diet had the highest (P? 0.001) values of fertility and hatchability percentages of total set and fertile eggs as compared with those fed the control diet. Key Words: Flock age, ascorbic acid, storage period, hatchability traits, egg weight loss.

Summary in Arabic.

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