In-ovo sexing of 14-day-old chicken embryos by pattern analysis in hyperspectral images (VIS/NIR spectra): A non-destructive method for layer lines with gender-specific down feather color

Up to now there is no economically maintainable modality for chicken sexing in early embryonic stages (first 3 d) that is suitable for large-scale application in the commercial hatcheries. Hence, the culling of male day-old chicks of layer lines is still the normal procedure. In this paper we present a non-destructive optical technique for gender determination in layer lines with gender-specific down feather color. This particular chicken strain presents a sexual dimorphism in feather color, where the female day-old chicks have brown down feathers and the males have yellow down feathers. The eggs are candled with halogen lamps and a hyperspectral camera collects the transmitted light within the spectral range from 400 nm to 1,000 nm. For data analysis and classification, common methods like principal component analysis and linear discriminant analysis are used. The accuracy of gender determination was determined for 11- to 14-day-old embryos. At 14 d of incubation (7 d before hatch) the sex can be determined with an overall accuracy of approximately 97%.