Houbara Bustard Hatching in Surrogate Chicken Albumen and Eggshell

Abstract

The viability and hatchability of Houbara bustard (Chlamydotis undulata) embryos were investigated in a surrogate (chicken) albumen and eggshell system. Egg yolk including embryos were separated from freshly laid Houbara bustard eggs, and cultured in albumen from chicken and Houbara, respectively. The viability of Houbara embryos after day 4 in the same sized chicken eggshell was 76.9% and 61.1% in chicken and Houbara albumen, respectively. The entire content (egg yolk with embryo and the surrogate albumen) were then transferred on day 4 into an eggshell of a larger double yolk chicken egg, and incubated for a further 19 days. On day 14, the viability of Houbara embryo in the surrogate Houbara and chicken albumen were 27.3%, and 57.1%, respectively. Two Houbara chicks hatched successfully from the chicken albumen (7.7%), while one hatched from the Houbara albumen (5.6%). The results showed that Houbara embryo could develop to hatching in chicken albumen and eggshell. This technology will provide a tool to hatch damaged eggs as well as soft-shelled egg of endangered wild birds.