This bulletin reports on Department of Poultry Husbandry research project 40, Care of Hatching Eggs--P. [2].Digitized 2007 AES.Includes bibliographical references (page 12)

Forward, James F.

Funk, E. M.

University of Missouri: MOspace

RESEARCH BULLETIN 732 MARCH, 1960 UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI COllEGE OF AGRICULTURE AGRICULTURAL EXPERIMENT STATION ]. H. LoNGWEll, Director Effect of Holding Temperature on Hatchability of Chicken Eggs E. M. F UNK AND JAMES FORWARD (PubliCltion luchor;2ed M:l.rch 14, 1960) COLUMBIA, MISSOURI CONTENTS Review of Previous Experiments .............. . ...... ... . ....... } ExperimentaJ Procedure ......... .......... .... .. .. .. ........... 4 Results ..................... . . .. ... . . . •. . . . ..... . ... .. ........ 4 Discussion ..... . .. ... . ... . . .• • . . ... • . • • • . .... . •... . .. . .. ..... 12 Ref~ences ...... . . .. ... . . . .. . . ..... . . .. • . ..•...... . • . . ........ 12 This bulletin repom on Dep:lCtment of Poultry Husblndry reseuch p roject 40, Cue of Hltching Eggs Effect of Holding Temperatures on Hatchability of Chicken Eggs E. M. F UNK AND J .... MES FORWARD Any condition or bew! rhac .. !fecrs hHching results is important to the poultry industry. Since environmental conditions where eggs are held before setting can completely destroy hatching resuits, the most satisfactory temperature for holding eggs is an important condition to determine. Results reported here may not apply to all conditions but they wcr<: found for the conditions described for each (est. REVIEW OF PREVIOUS EXPERIMENTS Mor.m (1925), in England, repor.ced {hat the optimum temperature for stor-ing hatching eggs was between 46° F and ;)OQ F. Olsen and Haynes (1948) of the USDA reported holding purebred White Leghorn and Rhode Island Red hatching eggs at temperatures ranging from 30° F to 70° F. They secured highest hltchC5 from eggs held at 50° F. Funk, Forward, and Kempster (1950) reported holding hatching eggs at 32° F,40° F, 45° F, 50° F, 55° F, 60° F, 70° F,80° F, and 90° F from one to 13 days after laying. Their resulrs showed that eggs produced by New Hampshires and New Hampshires crossed with White Ro<:ks hatched best when held It 50° F bue White Ro<:k egg hatched beeter when held at 60° F than when held ar any other temperature_ Some poulrty breeders and hatcherymen have reponed by personal corre-spondence that they obtained bener hatches with broiler eype eggs when they were held at temperatures of 65 0 F to 70° F. Some of the advantages of holding hltching eggs at higher temper:ttures are (1) less refrigerltion is required, (2) sweating of eggs when exposed to higher temperatures aln be minimized, and (3) when set, the eggs require less time to reach incubation temperature. 4 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL ExPERI MENT STATION EXPERIMENTAL PROCEDURE In this series of experiments [he eggs were obtained from h11ching eggs received ~1.C'1 commercial h:Hchery when onc to four days old :and then held at tem~r2tures nnging from ,o° F [0 90° F. All eggs were produced by broiler type New Haffipshires. White Rocks, and crosses of Vann ess males on New Hampshire females. The eggs of e2ch group were diStributed by tray~ u nndom throughout the incubacors :md separ:Hc h:Hchers. It should be nored that though temperatures arc listed 15 '0° F etc., there was a Il.uctuadon of 2 or 3 degrees above or below the temperature JisJed. The eggs used in these experiments were from four to 10 days o ld when The cool room ( '00 F) was 9' x 16' and 9' high. The air movement in the room where the cues were held was 100-150 feet per minute. The eggs were .set ilt ':00 p.m. ilnd the chicks removed at 8:00 a.m. 21 dllys ind l' houn after .setting. RESULTS New H ilmpshire (Nichols strain) eggs produced in December, 19'3 de· livered TO the hiltchery and held fo r 7 days ll t ,o° F,60° F, 70° F, llnd SOo F had II hatch of llll eggs of 71.' . 6'.2, '0.0, lind 28.9 perCent, respectively. (See Tlbte 1.) Eggs in the same test held for 6 days at '0° F and tlien 1 day at n° F gave 6,.4 percent hatch. Table 2 shows results with New H ampshire (Christie strllin) eggs pro-duced in Much, 19'" hdd ~ days at ,0° F,60° F,70" F,8O° F. and room tem-perature (n ° F to SOo F) , and four dllyS at ,o° F plus one day It room rem-ptfllure (n° F lo SO" F) . In rhis test the eggs hdd for four days at '0" F plus one dly lt n ° F to SOO F gave best results (81.7% huch of all eggs) . Tlble 3 shows results when the tests shown in Tlble 2 were repeated 11cer with eggs Jaid in April. T his test also showed thar eggs held lt '0° F glve the highest hatch (77.'% hltch of all eggs set). Tlble" shows the results of 1 third rest with eggs produced in ~·by from the same stock (Christie New Hlmpshires) . In this test the eggs hdd for four days a.t 'O° F and then held (or one day at room temperature (n ° F ro SOo F) glve best results (77.9% hatch of 111 eggs set). In none of these three trials did eggs hdd at 60° F, 70° F, or SOo F hatch as well 15 eggs hdd It '0° F. In lnother series of experiments from JanUllry through J une, 19", eggs were hdd three days at '0" F, 60" F, 70° F, 80° f lnd combinations ofthcse temperatures. The results (.sec Table ') showed that eggs held at '0° F gave the highest hatch for the season (n.4% hatch of:1.l1 eggs. set). RESEAIlCH BULLETIN 732 , TABLE I ._EFFECT OF HOLOING TEMPERATURES ON HATCHABILITY OP HI. CHOI1l NEW HAMpSHIRE EGGS. NORMAL HA TC HERY RECEIPTS. PRO-OUCED DURING DECEMBER, 1953, WHEN DAY TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE 40'S AND NIGHT TEMPERATURES IN THE 20'S. Ooid Oo. d "',0> ",,0> N,. Wer. 1-18 '" "I FerUle Holding ConditiOlUl Esp ill. "",,' , .. ll Ell' Ell' • • 7 Oay. at SOop. '" 3.' ••• IS.6 11.5 73.7 7 OaY' at 60oP . 26. 2.' 10.6 21.6 65.1 66.11 7 OaY' at 70oP. 26. 3. ' 18.6 28.0 SO., 51.8 7 OaY' at 80oP . 284 2.6 34.< 34. 5 28.8 29.6 6 Oays at 50°F., one day II.t room temp. (7SDF. _SOOF.) 263 I.' 12.9 19.8 65. 4 66.7 TABLE 2--£F FECT OP HOLDING TEMPERATURES ON BATCHABWTY OF CHRISTIE NEW HAMPSHIRE EGGS. NORMAL HATCHERY RECEIPTS. PRODUCED DURlNG MARCH, 1954, WHEN DAY TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE 60'S AND NIGHT TEMPERAT1.lRES IN 30'S AND 40'S. Dead Dead Hitch HatCh N,. Infer · 1-18 '" •• Fertile Holding Conditions Eggs tile D'S' Shell Ell' Ell' • • 5 Oays at SOop . 28' 2.' ••• ••• 78.6 80.' 5 Oays at SOo F. 26' 2.' ••• 13.0 7S.4 77.6 5 Days at 7OoP. 28' 2.' 11.6 10.9 74.7 76.9 5 Oays at SOop. 28' 2.' 10.5 12.3 74.4 76.5 5 Oay. at room tem,]!-28' 2. , ••• 82.7 r ature (750P •• 80 F. ) ••• 80.7 4 Day. at 50oP ., one day at room temp. (7SoP._80oP.) 284 2.' 6.3 '.1 81.7 84.1 TABLE 3--EFFECT OF HOLDING TEMPERATURES ON 8ATCHABtuTY OP CHRISTIE NEW HAMPSHIRE EGGS. NORMAL HATCHERY RECEIPTS. PRODUCED OURING APRIL, 1954, WHEN DAY TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE 70'S AND NIGHT TEMPERATURES IN THE 50'S. oeid nea d HitCh Hatch N,. Infe r_ 1.18 '" .n Perttle Holding Conditions Eggs til. o.", 'boll E~' 'Il' • • • 5 OaY' at 5OoP. 28' 3.2 • •• IS.3 77.5 80. 1 5 OaY' at &oD F. 28' 2.' ••• IS. 1 72.3 74.4 5 OaY' at 70oP. 285 '.2 14.0 18.6 64.2 66.3 S Days at SOop. 283 ,., U.S 17.7 57.2 59.3 5 OaY' at room temp., (7SDP. _80oF .) 28. 3.' 12.3 16.2 68.0 70.4 4 OaY' at SOoF., one day a.t room temp. (7S0F ._80oP.) 28. 3.2 ••• 13.0 75.3 77.8 Jail. FCb. ..... Apr. M., J~ , TABLE 4 __ EFFECT OF HOLOING TEMPERATURES ON IIATCIlABJLITY OF CIlRlSTIE NEW IlAMPSHlR£ EOOS. NORMAL IlATCIiERY RECEIPTS. PRODUCED DURING MAY, 1954, WilEN DAY TEMPERATURES WERE IN THE 80'S AND NIGHT TEMPERATURES IN THE 60'S. Do'" Do .. Hatch lIatcli No. Infer- 1- 18 " .11 Ferti le Hol(!inB Condltlon6 Ell· tile DarlB Shell "If' Efl" • • 5 Day. at 5(l°F. '52 I. ' 7.' 15.9 75.6 76.7 5 Day. at 60°F. '51 2.' 7.7 15.9 74.4 75.8 5 Daye at 70°F. '" 2.' 10.7 16.9 69.8 72.0 5 Daye at BOoF. 3M 1.3 15.5 30.' 52.3 53.2 5 DaY8 at ~'" temp., 2.' 19.3 88.7 70.5 4 g~.F~~~o~?, one ~y 352 ••• al roo ... temp., (75 F._80°F.) 353 2.' ••• 11.0 77.9 79.9 TABLE 5 __ TIIE EFFECT OF 1I0LDlNO NORMAL IIATCIlERY RECEIPT EGGS AT WARMER TEMPERATURES AFTER THEY HAVE BEEN COOLEO. NEW HAMPSIlIru: .:OOS USED IN JANUARY AND FEBRUARY AND WlIlTE ROCK I::OOS, MARCil -JUNE, 1955. '" 82.0 80.3 83.8 84.6 79.3 83.B 82.4 74.6 84.9 87.0 '" 82.8 75.2 "., 79. I 81.3 76.3 80.5 82.1 78. 1 81.8 52 69.8 73.8 67.5 83.7 67.3 ".2 72.2 71.4 76.6 69.7 '88 72.0 .... 75.1 73.9 73.0 11.4 72.9 75.5 69.8 73.0 35' 76.1 61.9 70.3 ".7 62.3 ".3 69.4 ".7 ... , 63.9 ". 60.3 61.5 61.7 82.7 6 1.9 65.11 HZ.7 55.6 55.6 73.8 1332 75.4 12.6 74. 1 73.0 71.7 73.0 74. S 72.7 74.0 75.2 , , • •• -. •• > - • • • • • • • • • • • • • REsEARCH BULLETIN 732 7 In mothO' series of Ui11s (see T1ble 6 1nd Figure 1) New Hampshire: eggs were held for different periods of time (2 to 13 days) at 40° F, 4 ~0 F, "~ a F, 60· F, 70° F, SOO F, and 90° F, Eggs held aT 50· F gave the best results . • TABLE S __ EFFE CT OF HOLDING TEMPERATURE ON THE PERCENTAGE HATCH OF ALL EGGS SET. DELAWARE :It NEW HAMPSHIRE EGGS. APPROXlIt1ATELY 300 EGGS IN EACH LOT. JANUARY_JULY, 1955. All" of EW 40°F. 4SoF. SOOF. 5SoF. 600F . 70°F. 2. ~ days 66.9 69.3 69.7 66.1 60.4 62.S 5·7 days 47.6 61. 1 n. t 60.0 ... , 60.1 2. 7 days 57.2 65. 2 67.9 63.0 59.8 61.4 8- 10 days 33.5 6~.5 59.7 60.2 55.3 ".7 11 · 13 days 15.5 58.6 59.1 59.6 46.2 35.9 8_13 days 24.5 60.5 59. ~ 59.9 SO.7 40. 3 2_1 3 days 40.9 62.9 63.8 61.5 5S.2 50.9 70 _ 60 .Ji r---- . - - __ -------~__:_::______~ f '. I " He ld for 2- 7 days f , I "-, I ............ Held for 8-13 I ...... -< day' I ' '0 40 I "" I , ii I , - J ' , ! mf ' I Fig. I _ Effect of holding " temperature on the hateh- "', ability of eggs held 2-7 <:by! 'w j SOoF. 900F. 61.5 53.9 48.5 13. 8 55.0 31' 29.9 0.0 ••• 0.0 lU 0.0 38.7 14.4 c 20 • o and 8-13 days. " "'"'"'"'"' , • ~ 10 00 ..0 0 ..0 0 40 F. 4.:. F. 50 F. 5:::1 F. 60 F. Hold ing Temperature , , , -o 1) 8 MISSOURI ACRICULTURAL ExPERIME!I.'T STATION Broiler type hatching eggs (Vanrress ffi11es x Nichols New Hampshire fe. males) were held for three days at 50~ F, 60~ F,70° F,80° F and vuious com-binations thereof (sec T:ible 7). The eggs held at )0° F hatched best. However, eggs held at ~OO f which were warmed one day :l.t 80· F before setting g:lve equally good hatches. TABLE 7--EFFE CT OF HOLDING TEMPERATURE ON HATCHABILITY OF EGGS P RODUCED BY VANTRESS MALES x NEW HAMPSHIRE FEMALES. 1955, percental'! Hitcb No. E ll[! of all ED, Held 3 days at SOop . 1300 75.4 Held 3 days at eOoF. 13,00 72.6 Held 3 day' at 70oP. 1300 71 .7 Held 3 day' at SgOF. 1300 72.7 Held 1 day a.t SO F . and then 2 day' at 60°F. 1300 74.1 Held 2 clays at SOoF. and then I clay at 60°F. 1300 73.1 Held I cia, at 50°F. and then 2 clays at 10°F. 1300 73. 1 Held 2 cia,. at SOoF. and then 1 clay at 70°F. 1300 74.5 Held 1 clay a t 50°F. arul lben 2 clay' at 70°F. 1300 74.0 Held 2 clays at SOoF . and then 1 clay a t SOoF. 1300 75.2 Tlble 8 lind Fig. 2 show the results of holding eggs :u combin1tions of tempera tures from ,o° F to 90° F. BeSt hatChability W2S Obtlined from eggs held 21 ,0° F. 80 " '" , " Fig. 2 -A compariso n of "0 40 :I: , h:l.i:ching r~suhs with eggs ' .. .... held fcom 1·8 days at dif-............... ferent rcmpcnturcs . • ~ " 20 ~ -J' .... ................... ""---L--c---!c----:-~==~=;::;-~-;--;-;;;-:;. 85", 90°F o 2345678 Days He ld • TABLE 8--EFFECT OF HOLDING CONDITIONS ON HATCHABlLlTY OF CHICKEN EGGS (NICHOLS NEW HAlliPSHIRES) NOVElIIBER, 1953. EGGS WERE ONE AND '!WO DAYS OLD WHEN RECEIVED. ONE HUNDRED FIFTY EGGS PER LOT. . for 0 cays • 7g.3 82.1 " fo r 8 " 0 ".0 71.3 " for 1 " 7 78.0 ".7 " for 2 " • 76.0 7g.2 " for 4 " • 76. 7 78.7 " for 6 " 2 7B.7 80.8 BOOy. for 0 da.}'s • 78.7 82.5 ., for 8 " 0 57.3 58.g " for 1 " 7 78.0 80.1 lor 2 " • 72.0 74.0 " for 4 " • 70. 0 73.4 " for 6 " 2 66.0 69.7 850F . for 0 cays • 76. 0 79.7 " for 8 " 0 '.3 ••• " for 1 " 7 76.0 78.1 " lor 2 " 6 76.0 79. 2 " for 4 " • 37.3 38.6 " for 6 " , 17.3 17.6 90oF. for 0 cays • 75.3 79.0 " fo r 8 " 0 0.0 0.0 " lor 1 " 7 78.7 81.4 " fo r 2 " 6 50.0 52.1 " lor 4 " • 12. 7 13.0 " for 6 " 2 '.0 '.3 10 M ISSOURI A GRiCULTURAL ExPERIMENT STATION T"ble 9 indi(1tcs some improvement in halChing results when eggs arc hdd for one: day at 90° F :and one: or twO days at 85 " F before they arc: held at '0" F. TABLE 9··EFFECT OF HOLDING TEMPERATURE ON HATCHABILITY OF NICHOLS NEW HAMPSHIRE P ULLET (MAY HATCHED) HATCHING EGGS RE. CEIVED AT A HATCHERY FROM DECEMBER 30,1953, TO MARCH 31, 1954. ONE HUNDRED AND FORTY EGGS P ER LOT, Temperature No. Days SUbsequently Held a t 70°F. f or 0 da.ys • 67.9 .... .. lor 8 •• 0 70.0 71.0 .. lor 1 .. 7 57.1 57.6 for .2 .. • 68.6 71.1 .. for " .. • 71.4 73.S .. f or 6 .. , 66.4 87.9 BOoF. for 8 days 0 65. () 65,9 for 1 .. 7 52.9 54.0 .. for 2 .. • 75.0 77.2 .. for 4 .. • 74.3 77.0 .. f or 6 .. 2 65.7 68.2 SSoF. for 1 days 7 80.7 83.7 for .2 .. • 80.7 8 1.3 90°F. for 1 days 7 18.6 80.9 .. for .2 .. 6 70.7 72.8 Table 10 shows the: effect of holding temperature on the: hucbabil iry of hrge eggs laid by New Hampshircs. Eggs hdd at 8~o F for one or twO days be· fore cooling to 50· F ~ve best hatchlbility. Table 11 shows lh:n eggs hdd at 50° F and combinations of 50· F, 60° F, 70· F and 80· F hatched best and better than eggs hdd continuously at 60° F, 70· F, and SO· F. • R£sEAJ.CH BULUTIN 732 II TABLE 10 • • EFFECT OF HOLDING TEMPERATURE ON HATCHABILITY OF EGGS LAID BY NICHOLS NEW HAMPSHIRES AFTER 5.6 MONTHS PROOUCTION. DECEMBER 16 AND DECEMBER 23, 1953. ONE HUNDRED SEVENTY EGGS PER LOT. " lor 0 d&y. • 75.3 7~.7 .. lor 8 .. 0 61.8 63.3 .. for 1 .. 7 75.3 76. 7 .. for 2 .. • ro.' 73.2 .. for 4 .. • 87.1 87.5 .. for 6 .. 2 64.1 65.7 80°F. lor 8 days 0 58.8 60.6 .. lor 1 .. 7 77.1 78.9 .. lor 2 .. • 78.2 711.8 .. lor 4 .. • 57.1 59. ~ for 6 .. , 64.1 ... 85° F. for 1 d&ys 7 74.7 7'-& .. for 2 .. , 72.4 74.7 90°F. for 1 days 7 70.8 71.9 .. lor 2 .. , 88.2 69.9 TABLE It·-EFFE CT OF HOLDING TEMPERATURES ON THE HATCHABILITY OF DELAWARE It NEW HAMPSHIRE EGGS. EIGHT HATCHES SET FROM JANUARY 9,1955, TO FEBRUARY 27, 1955 • HoidLng Conditions NO. EW '" '" '16 '" '" '" ". '" '" '" Perc:tntage }latch of All Ens 82.4 77.8 81.6 81.8 80.3 80. 1 81.5 78.3 81.5 84.4 No. C\l11 ChiCkS (Roueb Navels, etl:.) • .. " 16 18 " " .. ,. 11 12 MISSOURI AGRICULTURAL ExPERIME...'lT STATION DISCUSSION The results of this series of experiments indic:uc that 50" F is possibly the beSt temperature for storing h:uching eggs if onc uniform tcmperuurc is to be selected. Holding eggs ~t 60" F, 70" F, or SO" F certainly did not improve }urch-ing roulrs with eggs produced by meat·ty~ birds. However, it lppe2tS that onc uniform ·tempcr:Hure may no! give the beSt hatching results. These tri:ds sug-ges! that warming the eggs at room tempel'1ure (n° F to so" F) so" F, 8:5" F, or 90" F for 24 hours before setting rruy improve hatching resullS. H atchability is not a simple phenomenon and as wi th all biological dlt:l there is considerabk variation and conclusions [hu a.nnat be: made with cu-t2inry. We would suggest that those who can should compare hatchability of eggs held unoo differcm conditions on rh~ir own premises. On the basis of our observations and experimems we would recommend thac hatching ~ggs be held between 50° F and 60" F. T hese ~ppeu to be prac-tical limits unless observations on the premises indicate otherwise. If the ch~rmo­stH on the cooler is set to give ~ temperature of ~," F normally the tempen-Nre will be within the limits of '0" F to 60" F. We know dut exceilent hatches can be secured from eggs held within this nnge of t~mpenture. REFERENCES Funk, E_ M. , ]ames Forwud and H. L Kempster. 19'0. Effece of Holding Tempen--tures on fuochabilif)' of Eggs. Missouri Agricultural Experiment Sration Bunetin 539. -Moran, T. 1925. The Effect of Low Temperatures on Hen's Eggs. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London, 898, 456-4Xi. Olsen, M. W. and S. K. Haynes. 1948. The Effect of Oifferem Holding Temperarores on the Hatchability of Hen's Eggs. Poultry Science Vol. 27, 420-426. . 

Effect of holding temperature on hatchability of chicken eggs

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