Growth of Bantam Breeds of Poultry

Embryo weights of nine breeds of Bantams (Dark Cornish, White Cornish, Silver Duckwing, White Leghorn, Brown Leghorn, Rhode Island Red, Barred Rock, White Rock and White Wyandotte) plus Junglefowl were weighed at 10 days of incubation and every second day thereafter through hatching. Three replications were made. Within each replicate and breed the eggs were divided into seven groups. Prior to incubation the eggs were weighed. On each of the first six weighing days a group of eggs of each breed were individually broken, embryos removed and weighed. In the seventh group of eggs of each breed 22-day chick weight was obtained. A total of 2278 embryos and/or chicks were weighed. Significant differences existed between breeds beginning at 14 days of incubation and continuing through hatching. Significant differences existed between breeds for egg weight. Analysis of variance of embryo weight as a percentage of egg weight indicated significant differences between breeds for all ages except at 20 days. The results indicate there are significant differences in embryo weights between breeds and these differences are in addition to differences in egg weight.