Characeristics of the Physical Changes of Muscovy Duck Eggs During the Natural Hatching Process and their Effect on Hatchability

This research aimed to determine the alteration of physical characteristics of Muscovy duck hatching egg of natural hatching. The information obtained will be used as a reference to modern hatching (artificially). Muscovy ducks as one of a poultry’s meat producer needs to be improved by population breeding with modern hatching. To be able to artificially incubate the eggs and achieve high hatchability, it is necessary to observe the natural hatching by mother duckling. The observation method was on egg shape index, hygiene of eggshell, shell temperature, egg weight loss, and hatchability. Ten mother ducklings were used during brood time with 15 eggs on each duck. The results showed the eggs that successfully hatched in this research had egg shape index equal 73.6%, egg weight loss 9.6%, eggshell temperature 36.9-38.0ºC, and hatchability 86%. The conclusion of this research during the natural hatching, the eggs undergo physical alteration that were egg weight loss, alteration in the eggshell appearance, and the temperature of the eggshell increased from day one to 28 but decreased at the end of the hatching process.