Effect of egg storage duration on hatchability and egg quality of Co Lung ducks

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of different egg storage durations on hatchability and internal egg quality of Co Lung duck eggs. A total of 10,000 eggs were incubated across five treatments representing different storage periods (T1: 1 day, T2: 3 days, T3: 5 days, T4: 7 days, T5: 10 days). Environmental data recorded at the storage site showed daily temperature variations from 26.4°C to 32.4°C and humidity ranging from 76.3% to 82.1%. Storage time significantly affected embryonic mortality, which increased from 4.8% (T1) to 11.5% (T5), and dead-in-shell rate, which rose from 2.1% to 5.4% (P < 0.01). Hatchability significantly declined from 78.5% (T1) to 68.7% (T5). Internal egg quality also deteriorated with prolonged storage (more than 5 days). The yolk index decreased from 0.41 to 0.34, albumen index from 0.05 to 0.02, and Haugh Unit from 83.5 to 69.2, indicating significant loss of freshness. Meanwhile, yolk ratio increased while albumen ratio decreased significantly (P < 0.05), suggesting moisture redistribution. No significant changes were observed in egg weight, shell thickness, or shell ratio. Overall, storage beyond 5 days led to reduced hatchability and poorer internal egg quality. Therefore, the optimal storage duration for Co Lung duck eggs is 3 to 5 days. Farmers and hatchery managers can incubate eggs within this period to maximize hatchability and freshness.