Avian Production Management

EGG WEIGHT

• It varies from 52-56 g on an average
• Egg weight is mainly dependent on body weight of the birds
• Birds at later stage of production are comparatively older, heavier and lay larger sized eggs
• First egg in a clutch (series of eggs laid daily without a break) is always heavier than other eggs in the series
• If total number of eggs laid in a laying cycle of one year is comparatively less, individual egg size by such strain of birds is normally larger and if the egg number is more egg size will be comparatively less. To overcome this and to decide as to which strain is preferable, another character known as “egg mass” is considered
• It is the total weight of eggs laid by a bird in a laying cycle
• It depends both on egg number and average weight of an egg
• All other factors such as quality of feed, managemental factor, age, strain etc., which influence body weight also have an influence on egg weight