A practical approach to the post-mortem examination of eggs, embryos and chicks

ABSTRACT

The failure of eggs to hatch, or of young chicks to survive, is a frequent and important problem when birds are bred in captivity. Under such circumstances, the examination of eggs, embryos and 'neonates' can provide useful information. Investigative techniques that work well for poultry can be adapted to the study of samples from non-domestic birds. Meticulous dissection of specimens and cautious interpretation are essential (AU)