Relationship between Egg Weight and Hatching Performance in Japanese Quail (Coturnix japonica)

Abstract

Egg weight is one of the important characteristics of hatching eggs and is commonly used as an initial indicator of egg quality due to its association with nutrient availability for embryonic development. However, hatchability performance is not solely determined by egg weight but is also influenced by various biological and environmental factors during the incubation process. This study aimed to analyze the association between egg weight, hatchability, and hatch weight of Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica). The study was conducted from April to June 2026 at the Laboratory of Animal Production and Animal Product Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, Universitas Mulawarman. A total of 36 Japanese quail eggs were randomly selected and incubated using a semi-automatic incubator maintained at a temperature of 37.5–38°C and relative humidity of 60–70% for 18 days. The observed parameters included pre-incubation egg weight, hatchability, and hatch weight. Data were analyzed using simple linear regression to determine the association between egg weight and hatch weight, and binary logistic regression to evaluate the relationship between egg weight and the probability of successful hatching. The results showed that egg weight was not significantly associated with hatch weight or the probability of successful hatching. These findings indicate that egg weight alone cannot be used as a single predictor of hatching performance in Japanese quail. Other factors, including internal egg quality, embryo characteristics, breeder-related factors, and incubation conditions, should be considered in the evaluation of hatching egg quality.