Studies on the effect of humidity on the hatchability of hens' eggs II. A comparison of hatchability, weight loss and embryonic growth in eggs incubated at 40 and 70% R.H.

Abstract

Eggs from Light Sussex hens were weighed before incubation started and on the 19th day of incubation to determine weight loss when incubated at 40% B.H. compared with 70% R.H. They were allowed to hatch and the day-old chicks were weighed.Although the eggs incubated in the drier atmosphere lost more weight, their hatchability was no less than the eggs incubated in the wetter atmosphere. The hatched live weight of the chicks from the respective groups did not differ significantly.The comparatively good hatch obtained here and in part I at the 40% R.H. is suggested as being an indication that for optimum hatchability large eggs may require lower humidity than small eggs.