This work was carried out to investigate the impacts of storing fertile eggs for a
short (7 days) or prolonged (14 days) time and whether Pre-incubation period before eggs storage
(PIPBS) would improve the hatchability traits. A total number of 2400 hatching eggs were collected
from Sina strain flock at 32 week-old. Eggs were transported to the hatchery in two groups (1200
eggs each) according to the storage periods for 7 and 14 days. All eggs were stored at 17ºC and 75 %
relative humidity. All eggs in each group were individually weighed, numbered and randomly
distributed into four subgroups (300 eggs each) according to Pre-incubation period before eggs
storage (PIPBS) as: non incubation, incubation for 5, 10 and 15 hours before storage at temperature
of 37.5ºC and 56 % relative humidity.
The results showed that albumen weight percentage, albumen height and Haugh units were
significantly decreased but yolk weight percentage, shell weight percentage and albumen pH were
significantly increased as egg storage period increased from 7 to 14 days. Also, egg weight loss
during storage, first eighteen days of incubation and total egg weight loss percentages, early, late and
total embryonic mortality percentage, pip dead percentage, pip life percentage and total incubation
time were significantly greater for eggs of the longer storage period (14 day) as compared to the
shorter one (7 days) and the reverse was true for the apparent fertility percentage, hatchability
percentage of fertile eggs and hatchability percentage of total eggs. In the long storage period
(14days), pre-warming of Sina laying hens eggs for 5h prior to eggs storage had higher and
significant hatchability percentage of fertile and total eggs compared to the control and other prewarming
eggs for 10 and 15h prior to eggs storage but was still significantly lower than the same
level of pre storage incubation in the short stored period (7 days).
It could be conclude that egg storage period should not exceed than 7 days because more than 7 days
had decline effect on all studied traits, but if the storage period exceeded than 7 days until to 14 days
warning the eggs with 5 hours Pre-incubation before storage could be recommended for improving
hatchability percentage of both fertile and total eggs compared to 0, 10 and 15 hours pre-incubation
before storage.