Effects of egg shape and egg weight on body weight during the starter phase in Kedu chickens

Abstract

This study evaluated the effects of egg shape and egg weight on the body weight of Kedu chickens up to 3 weeks of age. A total of 100 fertile Kedu chicken eggs were classified into three categories based on the egg shape index (ES): elongated (ES-I), normal (ES-II), and round (ES-III). The eggs were incubated under controlled conditions, and the chicken were reared in a brooding cage until 3 weeks of age. Body weight was recorded at 0, 1, 2, and 3 weeks. Data were analyzed using ANOVA, linear regression, and correlation analyses to assess the relationships between egg shape, egg weight, and body weight. No significant differences were observed in hatch weight or subsequent body weight among the egg shape groups, indicating that egg shape had no significant influence on these parameters. In contrast, egg weight exhibited a very strong positive correlation with hatch weight (r = 0.829), with 68.83% of the variation in hatch weight explained by egg weight. However, the correlation between egg weight and body weight declined markedly after the first week, suggesting that post-hatch growth is more strongly influenced by factors such as feed quality, management practices, and genetic potential. These findings provide useful insights for hatching egg selection strategies aimed at enhancing the productivity of Kedu chickens.