Oxygen supplementation in the incubation of creole hen fertile egg

This study evaluated the effect of oxygen supplementation on the hatchability of fertile eggs of the Creole hen at 2718 meter above sea level. The experiment was carried out with 1408 hatching eggs obtained at age different of the breeders (25, 30, 34 and 38 wks.). Eggs were assigned to four incubators with different periods of oxygen supplementation: treatment without oxygen supplementation (SS) and oxygen supplementations at week 1, week 3, and weeks 1 and 3. Body weight, hematocrit, and hemoglobin were determined of embryos of 18 days incubation and newborn chicks. Hatching percentage was calculated based on the number of fertile eggs. Early and late embryonic mortality was determined. From the fertile eggs supplemented with oxygen during the first and third weeks, a higher percentage of hatched chicks (82.60%) and lower embryonic mortality were obtained. In the group SS, a low percentage of hatched chicks (28.32%) and high embryonic mortality were found. Oxygen supplementation to fertile creole hen eggs under hypobaric conditions in the Cajamarca valley did not increase hemoglobin concentration or improve body weight of hatched chicken.