KUB Chicken Egg Weight Effect and Shelf Life to Fertility, Hatchability, and Weight of Hatching in Kupang Regency

The study's objective is to know the effect of egg weight and shelf life on fertility, hatchability, and hatching weight. The location is the chicken research farm of Agriculture Research Center East Nusa Tenggara for four months. Materials are KUB Chicken (“Ayam Kampung Unggul Badan Litbang” or Superior Native Chicken of Research Center) Egg from the parent stock aged five to nine months. Eggs are collected daily, while weight measurement and selection are weekly. The hatching uses two incubators with Glory Bathor brand with a capacity of 576 eggs. The parameters are egg weight, shelf life to fertility, hatchability, and weight of hatching. During the study, the analysis uses a Completely Randomized Design (CRD). The statistical results show that the egg weight has a highly significant effect (p<0.01) on fertility, hatchability, and hatching weight. Furthermore, the shelf life of the egg is having a considerable impact (p<0.05) on hatchability and hatching weight. Egg weight treatment at 35 grams to 39.9 grams shows the highest average on fertility and hatchability, as much as 83.26% and 38.33%. Subsequently, The highest hatchability appears on the treatment of 45 gram to 49.9 gram with 31.84 gram. The best result of shelf life treatment to hatchability and hatching weight is on Day I treatment with 74.83% and 31.44 gram.

Keywords: egg weight, fertility, hatchability, KUB chicken, parent stock, shelf life, the weight of hatching.