The influence of age of Pekin ducks and egg weight on fertility, and hatchability , and embryo mortality on weight and % of hatching chicks was examined in this work. There was close relationship between egg weight and age. As age of ducks increased, the egg weight increased. The heaviest eggs were obtained at age of 64 weeks old (87.96 ± 1.18 g) , the increase in egg weight was associated with increase in weight of its contents. The albumen weight increased with age, the highest albumen weight was recorded at age of 64 weeks ( 47.57 ±1.60g) while the % decreased with age, it was (61.27 ) at age of 24 weeks and decrease with age to (54.08 %) at age of 64 weeks. Yolk weight and % increased with age, the highest weight and % were (32.68 ± 0.81g and 37.15 %) at age of 64 weeks. Also the age of ducks affected egg shell weight and %, the highest shell weight was (7.71 ±0.94 g) and the % was (8.77) at age of 64 weeks. Yolk : albumen ratio (Y:A) increased from 0.467 to 0.687 % . age of ducks significantly affected the egg weight loss during incubation period, the amount of loss in grams increased from 10.44 to 13.5 gm . The lowest % of loss occurred at the age of 64 weeks old (14.93%). The highest hatchability and fertility was obtained at the age of 44 and 48 weeks old, and the % of dead embryos decreased with age, the lowest % was obtained at age of 48 & 56 weeks. The chick weight and % of hatched chicks increased with age, it reach 58.02 ± 3.59 gm and the % was 63.95 at age of 64 weeks old. |
