Identification of critical periods for turning broiler hatching eggs during incubation.

(1) Fertile hatchability was superior from a broiler breeder flock at 29 weeks of age than at 68 weeks of age because of decreased mortality at all stages of embryo development. (2) Eggs that were either turned or not turned during the 0 to 7 d, 8 to 14 d and 15 to 18 d periods in the 8 possible combinations showed that the absence of turning from 0 to 7 d of incubation caused a decrease in fertile hatchability and an increase in all stages of embryonic mortality, and an incidence of Malposition II (head in small end of shell) that was more pronounced in a 68-week-old flock than a 29-week-old flock. (3) When eggs from 33- and 35-week-old broiler breeder flocks were either turned or not turned from 0 to 2 d, 3 to 4 d, 5 to 6 d or 7 to 8 d in the 16 possible combinations, the absence of turning from 3 to 8 d, or 0 to 2 d alone or in combination with other time periods reduced fertile hatchability and increased embryonic mortality and percentage of Malposition II. (4) The most critical period for turning commercial broiler hatching eggs during incubation was from 0 to 7 d with the single most critical 2-d period being 0 to 2 d.