A STUDY ON THE INCUBATION OF INDIGENOUS (DESI), KHAKI CAMPBELL AND CROSSBRED (INDIAN RUNNER × KHAKI CAMPBELL, F₁) DUCK EGGS UNDER TWO PRE-INCUBATION HOLDING PERIODS

Duck eggs from Indigenous (desi), Khaki Campbell and Crossbred (Indian Runner $\times$ Khaki Campbell, $F_1$) were incubated to investigate fertility, hatchability and other related traits. The fertility was highest in crossbred followed by Khaki Campbell and Indigenous ducks respectively. The embryonic mortality was highest in Khaki Campbell followed by Indigenous and crossbred respectively. The embryonic mortality was higher in eggs of 7 days pre-incubation holding period and lower in eggs of 3 days pre-incubation holding period. A significant positive correlation was found between temperature and embryonic mortality as well as relative humidity and embryonic mortality. The hatchability on fertile eggs was highest in crossbred ducks and almost similar in both Khaki Campbell and Indigenous ducks. The hatchability was higher in eggs stored for 3 days in comparison with that of 7 days pre-incubation holding period. A negative correlation was found between temperature and hatchability as well as humidity and hatchability. The normal ducklings hatched out from the eggs of Khaki Campbell ducks was highest followed by Indigenous and crossbred respectively. There was a negative correlation between temperature and normal ducklings hatched as well as relative humidity and normal ducklings hatched. The preincubation holding temperature and relative humidity had positive correlation with dead-in-shell.