This study was conducted to determine the effect of incubation relative humidity (RH) from 14 to 24 d of incubation during 3 parental ages on hatchability and posthatching growth of Pekin ducklings. Egg production was divided into 3 age groups (25-35, 36-55, and 56-65 wk). A total of 21,600 hatching eggs was subjected to 55, 60, 65, and 70% RH from 14 to 24 d, whereas standard conditions were used from 0 to 14 d and 24 to 28 d of incubation. All eggs were individually weighed before setting in the incubator and again at 14 and 24 d of incubation to determine egg weight loss. A sample of 20 eggs from unhatched and hatched eggs from each group were randomly taken on the hatching day and used to determine eggshell thickness and pore number. Duckling weight at hatching was recorded and BW gain, feed consumption, feed conversion, and viability were then recorded to 21 d of age. Egg weight increased with hen age but did not differ by incubation treatment. Increasing RH from 55% to 60, 65, and 70% decreased percentage egg weight loss in a stepwise manner irrespective of parental age. Shell thickness was less for hatched eggs compared with nonhatched eggs within each parental age. Shell thickness decreased while pore density increased with increased parental age for both nonhatched and hatched eggs. The lowest embryonic mortality among the incubation periods (14-24 and 0-24 d) and best hatchability of fertile eggs was recorded with 60% RH during the first parental age (25-35 wk), 65% RH during 36-55 wk of age, and 70% RH during 56-65 wk of age. The best incubation results were directly associated with the greatest duckling BW at hatching and at 21 d of age, BW gain, feed conversion, and viability during each parental age period. It was concluded that duck eggs produced within a specific parental age period require a specific incubation RH to attain the best hatchability and posthatching duckling performance.

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Background and Aim: The exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide (CO2) in the incubator plays a key role in embryonic development and hatching. This study aimed to study the effect of non-ventilated (NV) intervals during the early stage of embryonic development on the hatching process. Materials and Methods: Hatching eggs (n = 7200) were equally divided into four treatment groups and incubated in four incubators. The first group was incubated in normal ventilated condition (V) during the setting phase of incubation. Ventilation holes of the three remaining incubators were closed for the first 3, 6, and 9 days and termed as NV groups (NV1, NV2, and NV3, respectively). A gradual increase in CO2 was allowed for NV groups, followed by opening the incubator holes to permit ventilation throughout the rest of the incubation periods. Results: Obtained results demonstrated that CO2 concentration gradually increased up to 0.19% for the NV1 group, 0.41% for the NV2 group, and 0.90% for the NV3 group, while CO2 concentration remained at 0.08% during the first 9 days of incubation in the V group. Albumen pH was lowered for all NV groups. The highest hatchability percentage was recorded for NV3 followed by NV2 and NV1 groups. All NV groups represented earlier and narrower spread of hatch and higher hatched chick weight. Embryos and hatched chicks in the NV groups had higher hormonal levels of thyroxin and corticosterone. Conclusion: All non-ventilation periods had positive effects on narrowing the spread of hatch, increasing hatched chick weight and hatchability percentage compared to the normal V condition. Furthermore, the non-ventilation throughout the first 9 days of incubation yielded the best hatching results. Keywords: albumen pH, carbon dioxide, embryonic hormones, hatchability, non-ventilation.