Evaluating The Impact of Prolonged Egg Storage on Hatchability, Moisture Loss and Quality Parameters in Japanese Quails

Storing hatching eggs is a common practice in the poultry industry, but data on the effects of storage under tropical ambient temperatures are limited. This study evaluated the impact of prolonged egg storage on the hatchability, moisture loss, incubation period, and embryonic mortality of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) eggs, alongside their effects on hatchling weight. The experiment was carried out at the Quail Rearing Facility and Hatchery Production Site at the Faculty of Sustainable Agriculture, Universiti Malaysia Sabah, Sandakan. A total of 495 Japanese quail eggs were divided into 11 storage groups (0 to 10 consecutive days), with three replicates of 15 eggs in each experimental group. The eggs were stored at room temperature (28 ± 1 °C, 60-65% relative humidity) before incubation under controlled conditions at 37.5 °C and 60% relative humidity. The results indicated that hatchability significantly decreased with increasing storage period (p<0.05), from a peak of 82.22% in eggs stored for two days to only 4.44% in eggs stored for 10 days. The total moisture loss increased significantly with increasing storage period (p<0.05), with notable differences between the storage and incubation phases. However, only storage moisture loss significantly differed across all the storage periods (p<0.05). The incubation moisture loss did not significantly differ across the different storage periods (p>0.05). Prolonged storage also delayed the incubation period (p<0.05) and increased embryonic mortality rates (p<0.05). However, both hatchling weight and relative chick weight did not differ significantly across all the storage periods (p>0.05). These findings demonstrate that storing Japanese quail eggs at tropical ambient temperatures for up to seven days resulted in a progressive decrease in the hatchability of the eggs with excessive moisture loss. Hence, for producers without access to refrigeration, storing eggs for no more than three days is recommended to maintain economically viable hatch rates.