Table 1.

The morphometric measurements of the caecum during both pre- and post-hatching periods. The values were expressed as mean (M) ± standard error (SE). ED: embryonic day; H.D: hatching day; W: week.

Ages/Parameters (µm)	ED5	ED7	ED9	ED11	ED13	ED15	H.D.	1 W.	2 W.	4 W.
Diameter of caeca	274.429  ± 15.4	257.006  ± 3.9	353.97  ± 19.8	533.67  ± 12.3	641.239  ± 26.7	596.537  ± 40.16	811.9  ± 50.7	1791.42  ± 48.0	1793.356  ± 57.9	1753.57  ± 43.3
Thickness of muscle layer	52.319  ± 8.6	52.73  ± 4.8	37.55  ± 4.2	61.155  ± 9.0	60.97  ± 13.9	70.57  ± 6.7	78.35  ± 12.8	88.24  ± 13.49	119.191  ± 10.25	180.95  ± 11.13
Villi height	------	------	48.019  ± 13.0	70.195  ± 18.8	90.974  ± 40.7	105.45  ± 12.17	180.49  ± 23.8	310.115  ± 20.26	435.367  ± 19.9	436.185  ± 21.66
Epithelium thickness	33.562  ± 3.0	27.30  ± 2.33	17.6822  ± 3.14	17.92  ± 4.8	18.49  ± 2.3	19.68  ± 1.3	22.52  ± 3.9	30.74  ± 7.9	31.78  ± 7.8	35.923  ± 9.1
Lumen diameter	26.992  ± 5.6	34.565  ± 4.44	127.028  ± 13.3	205.8  ± 21.8	368.015  ± 17.9	351.76  ± 34.8	300.18  ± 27.6	643.231  ± 25.9	561.193  ± 14.3	643.892  ± 8.67