Incubation characteristics of some Bulgarian chicken breeds
Hristo Lukanov
Abstract: The aim of the study was to investigate the main incubation characteristics of four Bulgarian chicken breeds originating from South-West Bulgaria – Rhodope Patterned chicken (RPCh), Bulgarian long crower (BL), South-West Bulgarian chicken (SWBCh) and Struma chicken (SCh). Hatching eggs, provided by amateur poultry breeders were used as follows: 276 eggs from RPCh, 366 eggs from BL, 254 eggs from SWBCh, and 180 eggs from SCh. The mean hatching egg weight was highest in BL group (58.02±5.58 g) and lowest in SWBCh group (52.29±3.62 g). Reported mean values for egg shape index ranged between 73.92±2.95% (SCh) and 78.32±3.29% (RPCh). The group RPCh stands out with the highest hatchability values, respectively, 84.06% of eggs sett and 86.23% of fertile eggs. The most unfavorable hatchability results were reported for the SCh breed, respectively, 61.11% hatchability from eggs sett and 76.67% hatchability from fertile eggs. The remaining two breeds showed intermediate values in terms of hatchability from eggs sett, 75.41% for LB and 79.53% for SWBCh, respectively. The highest share of unfertilized eggs was reported in SCh (15.56%) and the lowest in RPCh (2.17%). The highest share of culled eggs (unfertilized, dead embryo and unhatched) and chicks was reported in SCh group (42.22%) and the lowest in RPCh group (17.39%). This study enables to determine the relative reproductive potential of the studied chicken breeds. The RPCh breed stands out with the most favorable incubation characteristics, and the SCh breed with the least favorable.
Keywords: egg shape index; egg weight; embryonal mortality; hatching rate; reproductive characteristics
Citation: Lukanov, H. (2023). Incubation characteristics of some Bulgarian chicken breeds. Bulgarian Journal of Animal Husbandry, 60(6), 44-52 (Bg).
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| Date published: 2023-12-21
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