Incubating capacity of broody hens and chick performance in Bangladesh

摘要

Astudywasconductedtodeterminetheoptimumnumberofeggstobeincubatedunderabroodyhenofgivensizeandtocomparehatchabilityofeggsandperformanceofchickswhendifferentnumbersofeggsweresetunderhensofdifferentsizes.Twoclassesofbroodyhens,weighing800-950g(WC1)and950-1100g(WC2),wereusedtoincubate8,11,14and17eggsunderthetraditionalmethodinruralconditionsofBangladesh.Hatchingeggs,fromparents(RhodeIslandRed#9794;#215;Fayoumi#9792;),averageof41.3#177;2.77(SD)gandwithashapeindexof66%,weresetunderthehens.Nodifferenceswerefoundinhatchabilityrate(%)offertileeggsamongthedifferenteggnumbersandbetweenthehenweightclasses.Numberofeggshadnoeffectonsurvivabilityofchicks,buthensofWC1hadhigherchicksurvivability(95.4%)comparedtoWC2(87.4%).Broodyhenshada40%reducedfeedintake(wheatgrain)andbodyweightlossof12%duringtheincubationperiod.nbsp;Weightgainofchicksduringlast4weeksand8weeksofrearing(fedonacommercialdiet).werehighestincaseof8eggs(404g),lowestwith17eggs(329g)andmediumwith11or14eggs(370and361grespectively)ofincubation.Feedefficiencywasthesameforallbirds;itwashighduringthebroodingperiod.During8weeksofrearingtotalfeedconsumptionwasreducedwiththeincreasednumberofchicks.nbsp;Thecurrentstudydemonstratesconclusivelythatthestatement'Thesmallerthebroodyhensthelowertheincubatingcapacity'maynotbetrue.Indigenousbroodyhenshavethecapacityofincubating(87.2%hatchabilityonfertileeggs)upto17eggsweighinganaverageof41g.Smallbroodyhenscouldprotectthechicksbetterfrompredators,therebyincreasedchicksurvivabilityupto95.4%comparedtobighens(87.4%).However,theincubationof14eggsbybroodyhenswillbemoreprofitabletofarmersofBangladesh.