Evaluation of prototypes of incubators on the embryonic parameters of fertile eggs hick

Abstract

The viability of egg incubators was evaluated compared with a commercial incubator. Those were built using a wood structure covered with Styrofoam or milk cartons. Temperature was controlled with 40W lights and humidity was con­trolled by water reservoirs. Seven hundred and twenty eggs from a caipira strain were individually weighed and dis­tributed according to a completely randomized design into three treatments and three repetitions, with eighty eggs each. Total and fertile hatchability, initial and total embryonic mortality, egg weight loss and chick weight at hatch were evaluated. Each incubator was built at a cost of approximately US$ 80.00 and the cost of commercial incubator was US$ 500.00.Means were compared by Tukeys test at 5% probability. There were no differences between treatments in both trials. It was concluded that the low-cost incubators are viable and efficient and can be used to incubate eggs of a slow growth strain of birds.