The Effects of Egg Weight on Subsequent Broiler Performance

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONINVESTIGATIONS concerning the relationship of egg weight and subsequent performance of broilers to various ages have led to conflicting reports.O’Neil (1950), working with Barred Plymouth Rocks, concluded that those chicks hatching with the highest percentage of the original weight of the egg are heavier at eight weeks of age, more efficient in feed consumption and have a lower rate of mortality. Wiley (1950) likewise concluded that a positive trend in body weight and livability existed in favor of birds from large eggs. Although this trend was not statistically significant, he did find significant differences in feed conversion in favor of birds hatched from larger eggs. Any advantage in favor of birds from large eggs was usually overcome by twelve weeks of age as evidenced by the reduction in magnitude of the correlations between egg size and chick weight from 3–12 weeks of age. That chicks from large…