Preincubation Tests with Turkey Eggs

Abstract

TURKEY eggs held at about 36°F. or at 60 to 65°F. do not hatch so well as eggs held at about 54°F., according to Scott (1933) who also found that the decrease was much more rapid with increasing age of the eggs at the higher and lower temperatures than in eggs held at 54° or at 55 to 60°F. In a recent test (Asmundson 1947), turkey eggs held at 55°F. showed a reduction in hatchability with increase in age after the first week of about one percent per day. Some other tests made at the same time indicated that eggs held for a period of 48 hours or less at temperatures of 30°F. or at 70° F. hatched as well as eggs held at 55°F., when all eggs were set when not more than 4 to 8 days old. Moreover, some of the eggs held for only about 6 hours . . .