Hatching System
The sexes were distributed equally across the hatching
systems. At hatch, chicks in the Patio system were
heavier (48.7 ± 0.2 g) than those in the hatcher (47.4± 0.2 g; P < 0.01). From hatch to d 0, chicks in the
hatcher gained more BW per hour than chicks in the
Patio system (P < 0.01). Although given immediate
access to feed, chicks in the late group of the Patio system
lost BW during the first 25 h posthatch. From d
0 onward, chick BW or growth per hour was no longer
affected by hatching system.
No main effects of hatching system were observed for
any of the absolute or relative organ weights (Figure
3). Plasma glucose was higher for chicks in the hatcher
than for those in the Patio system (P = 0.02; Figure 4).
For lactate level, no difference was observed between
chicks in the hatcher and in the Patio system. Corticosterone
was higher for chicks in the hatcher than for
those in the Patio system (P = 0.02).