Effects of on-farm hatching on hatching success and first-week chick performance of local and commercial broiler genotypes

Abstract. This study was conducted to compare conventional hatchery-hatching and on-farm-hatching systems in terms of hatching success and first-week chick performance for commercial Cobb 500, Ross 308, and local Anadolu-T genotypes. Eggs in both the conventional and on-farm-hatching groups were subjected to standard hatchery procedures until the end of 18 d of hatching. Subsequently, the eggs in the on-farm-hatching group were transported and placed in pens, while the eggs in the conventional-hatching group were transferred to the hatcher. Data on the length of the hatch window, hatching time, and other hatchery traits were collected for all groups during the hatching process. Post-hatch body weight and chick length were measured 24 h after the end of the hatch window for all groups. Chick feeding behaviour was evaluated through direct observation. There were no significant differences in terms of the hatchability of fertile eggs and total embryonic mortality between the hatching or genotype groups. However, on-farm hatching resulted in a higher chick body length at day zero (P<0.001). Hatching time was significantly influenced by the hatching system (P<0.004) and genotype (P<0.001). The hatching system and genotype had significant effects on feed pecking behaviour at the feeder (P<0.009 and P<0.03, respectively). Based on these findings, it can be concluded that the on-farm-hatching system appears to be competitive with conventional-hatching systems. Despite some limitations of this study, the local broiler genotype could play a crucial role in local sustainable broiler meat production. Further study is required to evaluate growth performance and other relevant parameters under commercial conditions and in large-scale populations.