Incubator: The Egg Hatching Machine

Abstract

The objective of this study was to decide the outcomes of incubation temperature (34.5; 35.5; 36.5;
37.5 and 38.5°C), on incubation duration, unborn death rate, hatching rate, fluid loss and chick
weight at hatch, using daily incubation of pheasant eggs. Between 35.5 and 36.5 degrees Celsius, the
highest hatching percentage was obtained. Incubation length and temperature were oppositely in
nature. Fluid loss was lower in eggs incubated at low temperatures as compared to high
temperatures. There was no difference among incubation temperatures in pure and relative hatchling
weights. Early unborn death rate increased at low temperatures (<35.5°C), whereas intermediate and
late unborn death rate increased at high temperatures (>36.5°C). Our outcomes show that, under
conditions of daily incubation of eggs in the same incubator, higher hatching rate can be obtained
using temperatures between 35.5°C and 36.5°C; incubation temperature is oppositely in nature to
incubation length and pure and relative weights of pheasant chicks are not affected by incubation
temperature.