Tolerance of Incubating Pheasant Eggs to Exposure

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Abstract
Spring weather conditions have been considered as one of the possible causes of fluctuations in pheasant populations. Presumably such weather effects would be on chicks or incubating eggs. Lots of 20 eggs each, in various stages of incubation, were subjected to different temps. for varying periods of time, and mortality was observed. From these data, a formula was calculated to depict the exposure tolerance of incubating pheasant eggs. In addition, observations were made on tolerance of eggs to alternate chilling and incubation and to simulated rain and flooding, and on tolerance of chicks to lowered temps. Results of these expts. showed that eggs were progressively more vulnerable as: (1) incubation progressed, (2) temps. were decreased, and (3) exposure was lengthened. Chicks were markedly more vulnerable to exposure than eggs in any stage of incubation. Alternate chilling and incubation did not induce greater mortality than a similar single period of cooling. Exposure to simulated rain and flooding induced greater mortality than did exposure to lowered temp. alone under the same conditions.

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