Effect of providing light during incubation on the health, productivity, and behavior of broiler chickens

Abstract

Environmental stimuli present during incubation can affect the behavior and health of birds posthatch. Commercial broiler chickens are often incubated in complete darkness, receiving light only intermittently when the incubator is opened. To determine the effect of providing light during the prehatch period, we incubated Cobb broiler eggs (n = 664) under continuous light (24L:0D), no light (0L:24D), or 12 h of light (12L:12D); the light level was 550 lx. Various parameters were measured posthatch in these broilers (n = 506), which were raised in floor pens on a 12L:12D regimen. There were no incubation treatment differences in hatchability, mortality, growth, feed consumption, feed conversion ratio, gait score, overall feeding behavior activity, or general behavioral activity. However, broilers hatched from eggs incubated under 24L:0D or 12L:12D had greater feeding activity (P < 0.05) than the 0L:24D broilers during the 2 h after the lights came on. Eye dimensions did not differ between treatments, but the eyes of the 12L:12D broilers weighed less (P < 0.05) than those of the other treatments. Broilers incubated under 0L:24D had a greater level of composite physical asymmetry (1.87 +/- 0.11 mm), considered to be an indicator of developmental stress, than did 12L:12D (1.57 +/- 0.09 mm; P = 0.05) broilers; they also tended to have more composite asymmetry than 24L:0D (1.62 +/- 0.11 mm; P = 0.10) broilers. The results of this study indicate that providing light during incubation has no detrimental effect on production or health of broilers, but does have potential benefits in terms of reducing the effects of stressors associated with production and growth.

Exposing broiler eggs to green, red and white light during incubation

“…This further indicate that specific wavelengths may be important in avian development and furthermore that illumination schedules and other factors may also play a role. It has been documented that timing and onset of light exposure during incubation is important for post-hatch effects (Archer et al, 2009;Chiandetti et al, 2013;Mench, 2014a and2014b).…”

“…Providing light during incubation has previously been observed to improve bird welfare post-hatch by reducing fear responses and decreasing stress susceptibility (Archer et al, 2009;Özkan et al, 2012;Archer and Mench, 2013, 2014aand 2014bHuth and Archer, 2015). This present study confirmed the previous research findings that white light exposure during incubation can improve welfare by reducing fear responses and decreasing stress susceptibility.…”

“…Physical asymmetry of each bird was measured as per Archer et al (2009) at 45 days immediately after they were euthanized. In brief, using a calibrated Craftsman IP54 Digital Caliper (Sears Holdings, Hoffman Estates, IL, USA), the middle toe length, metatarsal length and metatarsal width were measured for both the right and left legs.…”

“…These factors are extremely important, however, there is evidence that exposing embryos to light during incubation can have an effect on hatchability (Cooper, 1972;Shafey, 2004;Mench, 2014a and2014b;Archer, 2015a) and decrease incubation time (Ghatpande et al, 1995;Fairchild and Christensen, 2000;Tong et al, 2015). Light exposure has been seen to improve animal welfare posthatch as well (Archer et al, 2009;Özkan et al, 2012;Mench, 2014a and2014b). Reductions in fear responses (Dimond, 1968;Mench, 2014b and2016) and stress susceptibility (Archer et al, 2009;Mench, 2013 and2014b) have been observed as a result of light exposure during incubation.…”

“…Light exposure has been seen to improve animal welfare posthatch as well (Archer et al, 2009;Özkan et al, 2012;Mench, 2014a and2014b). Reductions in fear responses (Dimond, 1968;Mench, 2014b and2016) and stress susceptibility (Archer et al, 2009;Mench, 2013 and2014b) have been observed as a result of light exposure during incubation. Özkan et al (2012) concluded that light exposure during incubation resulted in chicks that were more prepared for novel situations based on stress hormone changes shortly after hatch.…”