Effect of Light During Incubation on Hatchability of Turkey Eggs

Abstract

Three trials were conducted using fluorescent lights. Eggs from artificially inseminated Broad Breasted White turkeys were used. In two trials, continuous dark or light was used. In one trial, eggs were incubated with either light or dark continuously and on day 24, half the live embryos of each condition was placed in the contrasting treatment.Results of two of the three trials showed that incubation in the dark and hatching in the light improved hatchability. When continuous lights were used during 24 days of incubation, there was a reduction in hatchability of live embryos regardless of treatment during hatching. There also was an increase in embryonic mortality in the first 24 days when continuously lighted but the difference was not significant.In all 3 trials, the poults hatched in the light were much more active than those hatched in the dark.