Journal of Animal Science and Technology (JAST) is a peer-reviewed, open access journal publishing original research, review articles and notes in all fields of animal science. Topics covered by the journal include: genetics and breeding, physiology, nutrition of monogastric animals, nutrition of ruminants, animal products (milk, meat, eggs and their by-products) and their processing, grasslands and roughages, livestock environment, animal biotechnology, animal behavior and welfare.

The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of storage length (7, 14, 21 and 28 days), turning frequency (0, 1 and 24 times per day) and egg position (pointed end up, blunt end up and horizontal) on egg weight loss during storage and incubation; hatchling chick weight, incubation length and hatchability results in 56-week-old chukar partridges (Alectoris chukar). A total of 1800 daily collected eggs was assigned to 36 subgroups (4 × 3 × 3 experimental design) consisting of 50 eggs for each subgroup. Progressive decrease in egg weights and increase in egg weight loss during storage was observed with the lengthening of storage period (p < .001). Prominent effects were observed in total egg weight loss rate and incubation length when the eggs were stored more than 21 days (p < .001). The highest hatchling chick weights were observed in horizontal eggs stored for 7 days (p < .001). Most indices of hatching results showed detrimental effects when turning wasn’t applied and the eggs were stored with the position of blunt end up. General recommendations from the hatching results showed that chukar eggs can be stored up to 21 days of storage length irrespective of turning and egg position. If the chukar eggs are to be stored more than 21 days, turning should be implemented and the eggs should be placed with the position of pointed end up for optimum hatching results.

Aim: This study was aimed to investigate the effect of different hen ages on egg quality characteristics, hatching performance and chick quality in chukar partridges. Materials and Methods: A total of 510 eggs obtained from chukar partridge flocks were used to determine the effects of different hen age on hatching performance, egg quality traits and chick quality. Daily collected 20 eggs from each age group (1, 2 and 3 years of age) were assessed for internal quality characteristics. A total of 150 eggs per each age group were set into incubator and hatcher set. After hatching, unhatched eggs were broken to determine hatching performance and embryonic mortality. Hatched day-old chicks were scored to determine chick quality characteristics. Results: Internal egg quality traits were not statistically affected by different breeding ages. Different breeding ages did not affect hatchability, early and middle embryonic mortality while late embryonic mortality and fertility of eggs were statistically affected. The evaluated chick quality traits were affected by the different hen age. Conclusion: Despite decreasing fertility rate with age, the results of this study suggest incubating eggs of chukar hens with 3 years age for optimum chick quality and being raised chukar hens up to 3 years of age.