Frequency of different shell color and its effect on the fertility and hatchability in Black rock, Gramapriya and Vanaraja breeds of chicken

Aim: A study was undertaken to assess the effect of shell color on the fertility and hatchability in three different breeds of chicken viz, Black Rock, Gramapriya and Vanaraja maintained at Government Poultry Farm, Durg (Chhattisgarh). Materials and Methods: A total of 180 eggs from each breed (Black rock, Gramapriya and Vanaraja) were studied in each trial and total three trials were conducted. All the eggs were individually marked. Eggs were divided into Brown, Light Brown th th and Creamy White. Eggs were candled twice during incubation i.e. on 7 and 18 days. Fertility percent was calculated by number of fertile eggs divided by total numbers of eggs set for incubation multiplied by 100. Likewise hatchability was 2 calculated on TES (total egg set basis) and FES (fertile egg set basis) by the formulae Data were analyzed by ˜ – test Results: The findings shown that the overall average for shell color among the three breeds, brown shell color (46.98%) was found to be most frequent as compare to light brown (43.02%) and creamy white (10.00%) colors, respectively. The fertility percentage among three different classes of shell color of eggs irrespective of breeds or batches highest pooled mean was in brown shell color (90.80%) followed by light brown (85.22%) and creamy white (83.33%). Whereas, on total egg set (TES) basis the hatchability percentage irrespective of breeds or hatches were 73.72 for brown, 67.00 for light brown and 52.47 for creamy white shell colored eggs, respectively and the pooled hatchability on fertile egg set (FES) basis, percentage followed same trend as in the case of hatchability on TES and brown shelled eggs group had higher hatchability rate with 81.19 percent followed by light brown (78.62%) and creamy white (62.96%), respectively. Conclusion: It is concluded that dark colored eggs had higher fertility rate and also hatched at higher rate than did light colored eggs.


Introduction
shelled eggs showed an increased hatchability as a result of greater fertility and lower intermediate and colored birds and brown shell colored eggs are late embryonic mortalities.While workers [5]could preferred by the rural peoples, therefore so many not found distinct correlations between shell color and improved varieties/breeds of chicken are introduced egg weight, albumen weight, yolk weight, haugh unit, for backyard farming.Shell color is one of the yolk color of the Yangzhou chicken.In addition, they important economic traits in poultry industries.demonstrated that some egg quality traits such as shell Intensity of shell color varies within breed also as strength, shell thickness, shell weight and shell ultrareported by [1].Egg shell color has also been structure could be assessed through the shell color.questioned in regards to its affects on hatchability by Limited studies are undertaken in our country in many workers.Workers like [2,3 and 4] observed that respect to fertility and hatchability of the improved there were significant correlations between shell color varieties/breeds of chicken on the basis of shell color.and shell strength, thickness, and shell weight and due Thus, the present study was undertaken to to this reason, thinner eggshells are associated with observe the effect of shell color on the fertility and lowering in hatchability percentage, while thickhatchability of Black Rock, Gramapriya and Vanaraja breeds of chicken.
followed by light brown and creamy white.However, in Black Rock, the light brown (46.67%) was most

Materials and Methods
frequent observed shell color.Gramapriya had highest Black Rock, Gramapriya and Vanaraja breeds of frequency of brown shell color with 56.85 percent chicken were maintained in the Govt.Poultry Farm, followed by Vanaraja with 47.59 percent and least Durg (Chhattisgarh) and of 28-32 weeks of age.A percentage was observed in Black Rock (36.48%).total of 180 eggs from each breed were studied in each Least percentage was recorded for Gramapriya in light trial and total three trials were conducted.Duration brown (40.56%) and creamy white (only 2.59%), between two trials was of one week (7 days).All the whereas Black Rock was leading breed in these two eggs were individually marked.Eggs were manually groups with 46.67 and 16.85 percent, respectively and divided into three groups i.e.Brown, Light Brown and for Vanaraja frequency percentage was 41.85 and Creamy White.Then eggs were transferred to 10.56 percent, respectively.Parmar et al. [7] also automated incubator for incubation.Eggs were observed that brown shell color were most frequent th th (67.87%) in eggs of Kadaknath birds followed by light candled twice during incubation i.e. on 7 and 18 brown color (32.12 %).The shell color is mainly breed days.Fertility percent was calculated by number of characteristic but it may be influenced by so many fertile eggs divided by total numbers of eggs set for factors which may affect the frequency of different incubation multiplied by 100.Likewise hatchability shell color of eggs.The most common factors are was calculated on TES (total egg set basis) and FES stress, age of the bird, chemotherapeutic agents and (fertile egg set basis) by the formulae: disease as reported by workers [8] However, no significant difference was found in Black

Results and Discussion
Rock and Gramapriya breeds as well as in second batch among different shell color groups.

While observing the overall average for shell
In present investigation brown shell colored color among the three breeds brown shell color eggs showed higher rate of fertility over light brown (46.98%) was found to be most frequent as compare to and creamy white shell colored eggs which was in light brown (43.02%) and creamy white (10.00%) accordance with workers [9], who also found colors, respectively (Table-1).Gramapriya and differences in fertility rate in different shell colored Vanaraja breeds had same trend as overall pooled eggs.Whereas, authors [10] did not found any average with higher percentage of brown shell color difference in fertility in different shell colored eggs.respectively.In the observation based on three shell color groups, Results showed highly significant (P<0.01) the hatchability percentage on total egg set (TES) difference among different shell color groups 2 basis, irrespective of breeds or batches were 73.72 for irrespective of breeds or hatches.However, χ -test could brown, 67.00 for light brown and 52.47 for creamy not reveal significant difference in the hatchability of white shell colored eggs, respectively (Table-2).The three different shell color groups of Gramapriya and result revealed the influence of shell color on the hatches I and II.The higher hatchability rate among hatchability of eggs (TES) which is in concur with brown shelled eggs was probably due to shell pigments earlier worker [11].This difference of hatchability rate which are deposited on shell just prior to the egg being on the shell color of eggs was found highly significant laid and light egg color may be a sign of prematurely (P< 0.01), indicating the higher hatchability in brown laid eggs caused by some type of environmental stress.shell colored eggs.However, no significant difference Another reason might be due to the positive association was observed among three different shell color groups of the density of pigment with hatchability, apart from of Gramapriya and hatches I and II.Most probable cause thicker shell with more calcium and high specific of lower hatchability in lighter color eggs might be due gravity of brown shelled eggs.The results of present loss of higher moisture content and have less specific study also support the work of other workers [13][14][15][16][17] gravity, which result in low hatchability.Similar findings who also reported better hatchability rate in darker eggs.were observed by other worker [12], who reported Conclusion lower hatchability percentage in white shelled eggs.
The data obtained for hatchability on fertile egg The brown shelled eggs had higher hatchability set (FES) on the basis of different shell color are rate on total eggs set and fertile eggs set basis.The presented in the Table-2.The pooled hatchability on results revealed highly significant (P<0.01)difference FES percentage followed same trend as in the case of in three different classes of egg shell color.It is hatchability on TES and brown shelled eggs group had concluded that dark colored eggs had higher fertility higher hatchability rate with 81.19 percent followed rate and also hatched at higher rate than did light by light brown (78.62%) and creamy white (62.96%) colored eggs.

Frequency of different shell
color and its effect on the fertility and hatchability in different breeds of chicken 2. McDaniel G.R., D. A. Roland and A. M. Coleman.Author's contribution (1979).The effect of eggshell quality on hatchability Abhay Kumar, Keshab Das and Kishore Mukherjee and embryonic mortality.Poultry Science 58 (1), 10participated in the preparation of experimental design 1 3 .and the facilities of the research.Abhay Kumar, Alok 3. Bennett, C.D., (1992).The Influence of Shell Thickness on Hatchability in Commercial Broiler Bharti and Abhishek Kumar Singh analyzed the data, Breeder Flocks.J. Appl.Poult.Res., 1: 61-65.drafted and revised the manuscript.All the authors has 4. Roque, L. and M. C. Soares.(1995).Effects of read and approved the manuscript.eggshell quality and broiler breeder age on

Table - 1
. Frequency of different shell color groups in improved breeds of chicken.
Values in the parenthesis are percentage (%).

Table - 2
. Effect of shell color on the fertility and hatchability in improved breeds of fowl.