Comparison of single stage incubation to multistage incubation using eggs from a 42-week-old breeder flock

The poultry industry continually strives to improve the end market value of the broiler meat bird. To obtain a larger, healthier bird at processing the industry is discovering that a healthy viable chick at hatch is necessary. Many factors influence bird performance such as lighting regiments, genetics, water quality, nutrition and incubation. This study compared two types of incubation on broiler performance from a 42-week-old breeder flock.; Eggs were received from 42-week-old breeder flocks and incubated in Chickmaster Single Stage and Multi-Stage Incubators. This study followed and collected data throughout the entire process from incubation to processing of the bird.; Further research needs to be conducted to determine if the results are repeatable. The differences in these study results maybe caused by the malfunction and improper calibration in the single-stage equipment. This researcher was unable to repeat this study due to a shortage of hatching eggs during the time frame of this graduate student's project.