The effect of egg storage position on egg weight, embryonic development, hatching traits, and chick quality in broiler chickens

The storage of hatching eggs either with the narrow-end upwards or in a horizontal position have been identified as a practical approach in reducing the deterioration of egg quality, improving embryonic development, and hatching traits in broiler chickens. This study investigated the effect of egg storage position on egg weight, embryonic development, hatching, and chick quality traits in broiler chickens. A total of 210 hatching eggs of broiler breeders at 46 weeks (wk) of age were used. The eggs were stored with either the broad-end up, narrow-end up, or in a horizontal position. The egg weight after storage, egg weight at embryonic day 7, 14, 18, and egg weight loss at embryonic day 18 did not significantly vary among the experimental groups (P > 0.05 ). The egg weight loss after storage and egg weight loss at embryonic days 7 and 14 were significantly higher in the eggs stored with the broad end up and lower in the eggs stored in the horizontal position ( P < 0.05). The weight of the embryo + yolk at embryonic day 14 was significantly highest in the eggs stored with the broad-end up and lowest in the eggs stored with the narrow-end up, respectively ( P < 0.05 ). The hatchability of set eggs, hatchability of fertile eggs, embryonic mortality, chick weight at hatch, chick yield, chick length, activity, eyes, legs, navel score, and embryo traits at embryonic day 19 were similar among the groups ( P > 0.05 ). The appearance score was poorer in the chick that hatched from eggs stored with the broad end up than in the other groups ( P < 0.05 ). Our study suggests that the storage of hatching eggs with the narrow end up or in a horizontal position may be beneficial for reducing dehydration, egg weight loss, and hatching traits and improving chick quality score (appearance) without any negative effect on embryonic development.