author(s)
Premavalli K and Omprakash AV

abstract
Hatching performance of 35–40 weeks old multi colour broiler breeder normal feathered Nandanam broiler-3, Nacked Neck and Nacked Neck x Nandanam broiler-3 cross was compared. A total of 6813 hatching eggs collected from Nandanam broiler-3, Nacked Neck and Nacked Neck x B3 cross were set for hatching in six consecutive batches. The per cent fertility (P£0.05), total hatchability (P£0.05) and fertile hatchability (P£0.01) were significantly higher for the crosses (77.22±2.17; 64.57±4.09; 83.34±3.06) and Nandanam broiler-3 (73.05±1.52; 55.12±1.42; 75.49±1.66) than Nacked Neck (65.57±3.77; 43.94±5.35; 66.06±4.44). The per cent total embryonic mortality was significantly (P£0.01) lesser in crosses (16.66±3.06) and B3 (24.51±1.66) than Nacked Neck (33.94±4.44). It can be concluded that significantly higher per cent fertility, total hatchability, fertile hatchability and lesser per cent total embryonic mortality were recorded in crosses. Hence, the Nacked Neck x Nandanam broiler-3 cross Nandanam broiler-3 had better hatching performance than Nacked Neck breeders.