Pre-incubation storage effects on guineafowl eggs at tropical temperatures

Abstract

The effects were studied of pre-Incubation storage periods of 1-3, 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12 days on some Incubation characteristics of guineafowl eggs held at tropical summer room temperatures fluctuating diurnally between 25.8 and 31.5°C. Storage for 10-12 days reduced hatchability significantly compared with other periods, mainly due to an increase in the incidence of embryos which died between 15-28 days of Incubation. Embryonic malpositions were not affected by the length of storage, but the iSncidence of malformations was significantly higher in eggs stored for 7-12 days compared with those stored for 1-6 days.