Jakość jednodniowych piskląt zależy od szeregu czynników, takich jak warunki inkubacji jaj, czas trwania lęgu oraz postępowanie z pisklętami tuż po wykluciu. Pisklęta brojlerów klują się po około 461–510 godz. (średnio 21 dni) inkubacji (Almeida i wsp., 2008; Tong i wsp., 2011). Wiele zakładów wylęgowych w celu poprawy opłacalności produkcji zwiększa rozmiary inkubatorów, stara się maksymalizować liczbę oraz wylęgowość inkubowanych jaj, a także produkować z nich jak najlepszej jakości pisklęta. Jednakże takie działanie często powoduje sytuację, w której inkubuje się jaja pochodzące z różnych ferm, od niosek w różnych wieku. Konsekwencją tego może być wydłużenie się czasu lęgu (ang. hatch window – HW), który definiuje się jako czas od wyklucia pierwszego do wyklucia ostatniego pisklęcia.

 

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