[Type and frequency of malformations in chick embryos]

Studied were histopathologically 7421 chick embryos of eggs at the end of the incubation period, originating from flocks raised under industrial technology. Established were a total of 39 deformities that involved all body parts in 6.28% of the studied embryos. First in number ranked the malformations of the legs and feet (curved legs and feet micromelia, achondroplasia), followed by head deformities (acrania), etc. Most of the affected embryos were single (simple), however, double ones (connected) were also encountered; 64.6% of them had one defect only, 29.9% had two defects, and the remaining 5.2% had three defects and more. Age-associated limits of the affected embryos ranked within the 15-21-day range.