Yield, Quality, and Subsequent Performance of Poults Removed from the Hatcher Using Early-Late and Complete Collection Procedures

Eggs from a Small White Turkey breeder flock were weighed and separated into equal numbers of heavy, medium, and small categories. A total of 6912 eggs was set and after 25 days incubation, half of each category was transferred to two hatchers. With one unit, “dry” poults were removed “early,” when hatching approximated 50% of eggs transferred (27 days, 0 hr) to be followed by a second, “late” removal 27 hr later. All “dry” poults were removed from the second unit when hatching was judged to be “complete” (27 days, 18 hr). Total yield of salable poults was better if removal from the hatcher was twice than if once. Yield differences could be wholely attributed to an alteration in pips without change in dead and cull birds. Average total body weight with the “early-late” regimen was greater than “complete” group. Early poults were heavier than late ones, irrespective of egg weight category. Small eggs viable at the time of transfer hatched earlier than heavy ones. No sex distribution differences appeared. All aspects of the dressed carcass and its efficiency of production with sample poults from each treatment were equivalent at 14 weeks of age.