Relationship of Time of Feeding and Strain to Egg Shell Quality and Hatchability in Broiler Breeders

The relationship of feeding time to egg production, egg weight, egg shell quality, fertility, and hatchability was examined in two trials. Slow and fast-feathering strain Hubbard females were used in Trial 1 and slow-feathering strain Arbor Acres females were used in Trial 2. Feeding times of 0800 or 1300 h throughout the laying periods were compared. Slow feathering females in Trial 1 exhibited significantly increased egg weight and significantly decreased percentage shell when compared with fast-feathering females. Feeding at 1300 h increased significantly egg specific gravity, egg shell weight, and percentage shell in Trials 1 and 2. Significant interactions of feeding time and strain occurred in Trial 1 with respect to fertility and hatch of all eggs set. Feeding at 1300 h increased fertility and hatch of all eggs set in fast-feathering hens but the opposite occurred in slow-feathering hens in Trials 1 and 2. Within slow-feathering hens, hatch of fertile eggs was decreased by 1.7% (Trial 1) and 1.5% (Trial 2). The results show that afternoon feeding that provides calcium intake near the time of egg shell calcification decreased significantly hatchability in eggs from two slow-feathering strains of females but not in eggs from a fast-feathering strain. These results suggest that altering time of feed intake can decrease hatchability.