The Relationship of Egg Shape, Egg Weight, Specific Gravity and 21-Day Incubation Weight-Loss to Hatchability of Broad-Breasted Bronze Turkey Eggs

NUMEROUS investigations have been made to determine the relationship of egg characteristics to hatchability of chicken eggs, but there is not sufficient evidence to show that these findings are applicable to turkey eggs. Landauer (1951) has summarized the results of studies on egg traits and hatchability in chickens. Egg shape has very little, if any, relationship to hatchability. However, practical experience has shown that very long, narrow eggs rarely hatch. Large egg size decreases hatchability somewhat, while in some instances small egg size has a similar effect. Eggs with good shell quality as measured by specific gravity and incubation weight-loss generally hatch better than those with poor shell quality. The authors have been unable to find any report of a study on egg shape and hatchability in turkeys. Marble and Margolf (1936), Byerly and Marsden (1938), and Insko et al. (1943) agree that eggs of average size hatch better than …