Effects of Long-Term Storage on Hatchability and Incubation Length of Game Farmed Quail Eggs

SIMPLE SUMMARY: In alternative poultry production systems, a key aspect for the viability of the hatching egg is its storage before incubation, its management being less standardized than in intensive poultry farming. The objective of this work is to investigate the effect of the long-term storage of game farmed quail eggs by testing storage periods of up to 35 days at 15.8 °C and 80% relative humidity. It was found that the hatchability was maintained in eggs stored up to 28 days and decreased when storage was extended to 35 days. The eggs progressively lost more weight as the storage time increased, producing chicks with lower weight from eggs stored for more than 14 days and with lower relative chick weight in those stored for 35 days. The length of the incubation period increased progressively with storage time, while hatching synchrony decreased. In conclusion, if necessary for management reasons, game quail hatching eggs can be stored without relevant loss of viability for up to 28 days before incubation. The practical implications are that this ensures a long market life when hatching eggs are sold and allows small farms to collect enough eggs over an extended period to fully set an incubator. ABSTRACT: The long-term storage of eggs before incubation is a common practice in some alternative poultry systems but needs to be performed under conditions that preserve egg viability. The effects of the long-term storage of game farmed quail (Coturnix coturnix) eggs on weight loss during the storage and incubation periods, chick weight at hatch, hatchability, and incubation length were investigated. The eggs were arranged in six treatments submitted to 0-, 7-, 14-, 21-, 28-, and 35-day storage periods at 15.8 °C and 80% relative humidity. The storage length reduced the hatchability of eggs (p < 0.05) when the storage was extended to 35 days, decreasing by more than half compared to eggs stored up to 28 days. Egg weight loss during storage progressively increased with the storage length (p < 0.05). Chick weight at hatching was reduced in eggs stored for more than 14 days (p < 0.05), and relative chick weight decreased significantly in eggs stored for 35 days (p < 0.05). Incubation length progressively increased with the storage length (p < 0.05), achieving less hatching synchrony in eggs stored for a longer time (p < 0.05). In conclusion, game quail eggs store well with little deterioration up to 28 days at 15.8 °C and 80% relative humidity, allowing for extended storage when shipping long-shelf-life eggs or assembling batches large enough to fully set an incubator in farms with small breeding flocks.