Exterior traits of a male parental form for production of autosexing Easter eggers

Abstract. The aim of the present study was to perform exterior evaluation of a newly created male parental form for production of autosexing Easter egger crosses. The main exterior traits and measurements were conducted along with phenotype evaluation of hens and roosters of the XL male parental form at 6 and 12 months of age. The average live weight of 6-month-old roosters and hens was 2.62±0.03 kg and 1.77±0.028 kg, respectively. One-year-old roosters and hens weighed 2.8±0.027 kg and 2.03±0.04 kg, respectively, on average. The ratio between the main exterior measurements of males and females was preserved for both age groups. Hens exhibited lower massiveness index than roosters. The compactness index in hens at 6 and 12 months of age was higher than that of roosters. Six-month-old roosters demonstrated higher long-leggedness index values as compared to year-old males and hens of both studied ages. Phenotypically, birds resembled productive type Rhode Island Red chickens except for the presence of pea combs and small wattles.