Hatchability of Pheasant Eggs in Relation to Some Known Temperatures

Abstract

cause of infertility and unknown causes. In 1933 an attempt was made to determine what effect certain temperatures had upon fertile eggs. In order to test the influence of extreme temperatures on the hatchability of pheasant eggs, a setting of 26 freshlaid eggs was obtained from the State Game Farm and placed in the fieldlaboratory weather shelter, which housed a hygrothermograph and a maximumand-minimum thermometer. The eggs were held in the shelter from April 13 until May 4, a period corresponding to a part of the egg-laying period in nature. The eggs and instruments were 4 feet from the ground and were exposed to great variation in weather conditions. During this period a record of the relative humidity and temperature was kept for all hours of the day and night. During the 21 days in which the eggs were in the shelter, freezing temperatures were recorded seven times. The lowest temperature was 210F., which occurred twice; 230F. occurred once for a 5-hour period. The maximum temperature was 760F. The relative humidity varied from 14 to 97 per cent. The eggs were removed from the shelter on May 4 and incubated under a domestic hen. Only 14 of the 26 eggs proved fertile, but 13 of these 14 hatched on May 27. This test showed that pheasant eggs can undergo fairly low temperatures prior to incubation without their hatchability being affected to any great extent. To test the matter further on a more extended scale, 500 eggs (1 day's laying) were obtained from the State Game Farm on May 6. Fifty eggs were kept in storage as a criterion, at temperatures varying from 450F. to 680F. I Paper No. 19 from the Pennsylvania Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit, Fish and Wildlife Service (U. S. Department of The Interior), The Pennsylvania State College, Pennsylvania Game Commission, and the American Wildlife Institute cooperating. Authorized for publication on Aug. 6, 1940 as Paper No. 983 in the journal series of the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station. 2 The Williamston Game Management Project was a cooperative undertaking under the supervision of H. M. Wight, School of Forestry and Conservation, University of Michigan. The Izaak Walton League of America, Department of Agriculture, the U. S. Biological Survey, Sporting Arms and Ammunition Manufacturers Institute, American Game Association, State College, University of Michigan, Williamston Progressive Hunting Club, and Department of Conservation aided. Particular credit goes to Harry F. Harper for his whole-hearted moral and substantial financial backing. The data presented in this paper are taken from the unpublished doctoral thesis entitled Causes of Pheasant Mortality in Michigan by P. F. English, University of Michigan, 1933.