Effects of egg storage duration prior to incubation on performances of Arab Chickens during the first week post-hatch

Abstract

This study investigated the effects of egg storage duration prior to incubation on performances of Arab Chickens during the first week posthatch. A total of 100 day-old-chicks were distributed among 20 experimental units, each representing a different egg storage duration before incubation (1, 4, 7, and 10 days) with five replicates. There were five birds of each replicate totaling 25 birds per treatment. The variables examined in this study included the growth performance of Arab Chickens during the first week post-hatch, specifically the initial body weight, final body weight, body weight gain, feed intake, water intake, feed conversion ratio, and water conversion ratio. The findings of the study revealed that egg storage duration prior to incubation did not significantly affect (P>0.05) feed intake, water intake, and water conversion ratio. Storing eggs for up to 4 days did not result in any adverse effects (P>0.05) on initial body weight, final body weight, body weight gain, and feed conversion ratio. However, eggs stored for 7 days or longer exhibited a significant reduction (P<0.05) in initial body weight, final body weight, and body weight gain. Additionally, a notable increased (P<0.05) in feed conversion ratio observed for eggs stored for 10 days. In conclusion, the hatching eggs of Arab Chickens can be safely stored for up to 4 days without any detrimental effect on their performance during the first week post-hatch.