Hatching performance of fayumi eggs.

A study on hatching performance of 1,070 Fayumi eggs was conducted during September 1999. Seventy eggs taken at random were weighed and opened to estimate the rate of fertility. Weight of the rest 1,000 eggs were recorded and set in the incubator at Government Poultry Farm, Peshawar to investigate hatching performance. Information on egg shell weight, and thickness, hatching chick weight, loss in egg content during incubation, incidence of malformed chicks, embryonic mortality (early and late) and hatchability were recorded after hatching. Percent fertility determined before incubation was a little higher (97.78%) than that at hatching (95.5%). Mean per cent loss in egg content was 21.00% which was significantly (20.01) and positively associated (b=1.7515) with egg weight but negatively associated (b=-2.5805) with shell weight. Average early embryonic mortality was 2.66% and was numerically high (3.43%) in small (32 to 37 g) and low (1.42%) in large sized eggs (above 47g). Embryonic mortality was 3.1% in thin shelled eggs (0.24 to 0.30 mm) and 2.20% in thick shelled eggs (above 0.4 mm). Early embryonic mortality was significantly higher (3.70%) in eggs of smaller shell weight (2 to 3 gm) and lower (1.86%) in eggs of relatively larger shell weight (3 to 5 g). Average late embryonic mortality was 7.36% and was comparatively higher in eggs having shell thickness of more than 0.4 mm (15.07%). Late embryonic mortality was higher (15.07%) in thick shelled (above 0.4 mm) and lower (4.1%) in thin shelled eggs (0.24 to 0.3 mm). Average of malformed chicks was 3.99% and was not significantly affected by egg weight, shell weight and shell thickness. Percent hatchability was 81.50% on the basis of total number of eggs set (1000 eggs) and 85.43% on the basis of fertile eggs (955). Egg weight had no significant effect on hatchability. Apparently, percent hatchability was high in medium (84.88 plus minus 0.03%) than in larger (78-99 plus minus 0.02%) or smaller eggs (77.98 plus minus 0.O4%). Hatchability was significantly higher in eggs having a shell weight of 3-5 g (88.82%) and 5 to 7 g (84.66%) than in eggs of 2 to 3 g shell weight (78.42%) or above 7 g (73.98%). Hatchability was apparently higher in thick shelled eggs (83.69%) as compared to very thick (79.86%) or thin shelled eggs (81.55%). Average weight of new born Fayumi chick was 29.07g and found to be 68.21% of the average egg weight. Chick weight was found significantly and positively associated (b=0.0961) with egg weight. Chick weight was also found positively associated with egg width (b=0.0748) but negatively associated (b=-0.00627) with egg length. It was concluded from the study that medium sized eggs having thick shells hatched better than too large or small eggs with very thin and very thick shells.