Research Article

Hatchability of the common pheasant depending on egg storage time prior to incubation

Joanna Kuźniacka, Marek Adamski, Emilia Kowalska, Joanna Kucharska

University of Technology and Life Science, Bydgoszcz, Poland

1. Acta Sci. Pol. Zootechnica, 14(3), 2015, 49‒58

Abstract. Pheasant eggs were divided based on storing time before incubating. The groups were from 1 to 2 days, 3 to 4, 5 to 6, 7 to 9 and 10 to 11 days. The lowest losses (14.3%) in the period between incubating and day 21 of hatching were observed for eggs stored for 3 to 4 days. For this group the highest weight of chicks and their percentage share to egg’s weight (respectively 21.5 g and 66.8%) was also noted. The best fertility (94.7%) in hatchability of healthy chicks from incubated and fertilized eggs (respectively 80.1 and 75.8%) was observed for 3, 4-day eggs and those stored for 5, 6 days. In groups of eggs stored for a longer period before incubating (over 7 days), eggs fertility and chicks hatchability indices, along with prolonging storing period, decreased. At the same time, for eggs kept for more than 10 days, the share of dead embryos increased and was from 12.7% of set eggs to 15.6% of fertilized eggs.

Keywords: pheasant, egg, storing, hatchability