Large variability of preincubation storage temperature in chukar partridge eggs under normal storage duration: Impact on egg and hatching traits, and embryonic development.

The effect of different storage temperatures on egg traits during storage and incubation, hatching characteristics and embryonic mortality in chukar partridge eggs stored under normal-term storage was investigated in this study. The study was designed as a 2 × 4 factorial arrangement with two storage durations (7 and 14 days) and four storage temperatures (3, 9, 15 and 21 °C). After storage, a total of 480 eggs (60 eggs per subgroup) were sent directly to the histology lab to determine the stage of embryonic development. The remaining eggs (50 eggs per each subgroup) were moved to an incubator for 21 d and then transferred to a hatcher basket. On day 26, unhatched eggs were opened to determine the hatching performance and embryonic mortality rate. Lower chick weights and longer incubation periods were observed when the eggs were stored at 15 °C. Almost all the egg and hatching traits were found to be similar among treatment groups. Considering that the probability of a higher embryonic developmental stage was increased in the eggs stored at 21 °C, the occurrence of embryonic development at gastrula stage was found to be similar across both storage duration and temperature groups. Even though storage temperature is recommended to be adjusted between 12-18 °C in poultry industry, to the best of our knowledge, this is the first study to claim that partridge eggs can be stored from 3 to 21 °C without any serious negative effect in the 14 days of storage period. Most insignificant findings in both hatchability and embryonic occurrence in eggs stored at 21 °C revealed that partridge breeders and game farmers would store their eggs during the short-term storage period by placing them in a room with minor temperature and humidity modifications.