Abstract: In order to provide the basic information for further breeding work in Erlang mountainous chickens, we hatched two hatches eggs from lines SD02 and SD03 and compared the incubation effects between hatches, lines and families. The results showed that average egg number of line SD03 was more than line SD02, however the percentage of healthy chick of line SD02 was higher than line SD03(P<0.05). Though the percentage of dead fertile egg and dead embryo of line SD03 was lower than line SD02, and the percentages of fertility and hatchability of fertile egg in SD03 was higher than in SD02, these differences were not significant(P>0.05). The percentage of healthy chick and hatchability of fertile egg in the first hatch was higher than in the second hatch while the percentage of dead fertile egg and dead embryo in the first hatch was lower than in the second hatch. Generally, incubation effects of SD03 were better than SD02 and its effect in the first hatch was better than the second hatch. Incubation effects of family 3, 30, and 48 in line SD02 and family 13 and 49 in line SD03 were far poorer than average values of their corresponding lines. So, females from these families should not be used as breeders to reproduce next generation.

Key words: Erlang mountainous chicken; line; incubation effect; family breeder selection