Week 36: Long-Term Storage May Affect Chick Embryos
A new study suggests that storing fertilized eggs for long periods may place greater stress on chick embryos and reduce their ability to recover. The findings may help explain why hatchability often decreases when hatching eggs are stored for too long before incubation.
How was the study conducted?
Researchers examined fertilized broiler eggs that had been stored for different lengths of time before incubation. They studied how gene activity in the embryos changed depending on how long the eggs had been stored.
What did the study find?
Embryos in eggs stored for four days still appeared able to adapt to the stress. After longer storage, however, there were signs that the cells were under greater strain and had more difficulty recovering.
These findings may help explain why hatchability often decreases when fertilized eggs are stored for too long.
How reliable are the results?
The study provides some evidence of how long-term storage affects chick embryos. However, changes in gene activity alone cannot confirm which processes actually cause lower hatchability. The study also used eggs from commercial broiler chickens, so the findings may not apply to every chicken breed.
What does this mean for hobby breeders?
The study supports the recommendation to avoid storing hatching eggs for longer than necessary before incubation. However, it does not establish a new exact time limit, as the outcome may also be affected by factors such as breed, temperature, and storage conditions.
