Morphological characteristics of hatching eggs and hatching dynamics in Prelux-Č and Prelux-G laying hybrids and their relationship with chick sex

Terčič, Dušan (author), Rohan, Pina (author)

This study examined the morphological characteristics of hatching eggs from two Slovenian layer hybrids, Prelux-Č and Prelux-G, and investigated their relationship with hatch window and chick sex. The results showed significant (p≤ 0.05) genotype-specific differences in egg morphology, hatching time and chick weight at hatch. Compared to Prelux-G eggs, Prelux-Č eggs were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) narrower, lighter and had paler shell pigmentation. Chicks from Prelux-Č eggs hatched earlier and had a significantly (p≤ 0.05) lower body weight than chicks from Prelux-G eggs. The hatch window of the Prelux-G hybrids was 56 hours, while that of the Prelux-Č hybrids was 64 hours. In the Prelux-Č hybrids, the pullets hatched earlier than the cockerels, while no significant sex-specific differences in hatching time were observed in the Prelux-G hybrids. The duration of egg storage prior to incubation also influenced hatch timing, with chicks from eggs stored for seven days hatching later than chicks from eggs stored for two days; however, this difference was only statistically significant (p ≤ 0.05) in the Prelux-Č. The statistical analysis showed no significant correlation (p> 0.05) between the external egg characteristics and the sex of the chicks, indicating the limited predictive value of egg morphology for sex determination.

• Language: English
• Keywords: poultry, chicken, genotype, egg morphology, egg storage, hatch window, chick sex
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: BF - Biotechnical Faculty
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2025
• Number of pages: 10 str.
• Numbering: Vol. 121, no. 3
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-175206
• UDC: 63
• ISSN on article: 1854-1941
• DOI: 10.14720/aas.2025.121.3.22603
• COBISS.SI-ID: 254105091
• Publication date in RUL: 21.10.2025

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Acta agriculturae Slovenica
• Publisher: Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za agronomijo in Oddelek za zootehniko, Biotehniška fakulteta, Oddelek za agronomijo in Oddelek za zootehniko, Univerza v Ljubljani, Biotehniška fakulteta, Založba Univerze v Ljubljani
• ISSN: 1854-1941
• COBISS.SI-ID: 219581184

Licences

• License: CC BY 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Description: This is the standard Creative Commons license that gives others maximum freedom to do what they want with the work as long as they credit the author.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Morfološke značilnosti valilnih jajc in dinamika valjenja pri nesnih hibridih prelux-Č in prelux-G ter njuna povezanost s spolom piščancev
• Keywords: perutnina, kokoši, genotip, morfologija jajc, skladiščenje jajc, valilno okno, spol piščanca