Importance of Optimizing Early Chick Nutrition for better start
Optimizing early chick nutrition is essential for boosting growth, efficiency, and profitability in broiler farming. The hatching process, combined with intensive handling and transport, can cause significant stress for day-old chicks. Proper climate control and timely nutrient delivery are vital to help them manage this stress. Supplying digestible nutrients shortly after hatching eases the transition from yolk sac dependence to external feeding, promoting healthier and more productive birds.
Challenges for newly hatched chicks
- In commercial poultry farmingchicks don’t have direct access to feed & water from the time they hatch until they reach the farm.
- Processes like hatching, grading, sorting, storage, and transport can delay access to feed by 24 to 72 hours for day-old chicks.
- Newly hatched birds face external stressors during this period of delayed feeding.
- Early feeding in poultry houses is critical for the bird’s development due to this delay.
- Starvation after hatching can slow down the rate of yolk absorption.
- Improper early management could lead to poor livability, reduced uniformity and susceptibility to disease challenges.
- A peak in mortality is often observed at 3-4 days of age, possibly due to the failure of the yolk sac to be absorbed.
Nutritional Management during chick transport
- In India during chick transport small watermelon pieces added to the chick boxes to provide energy and water.
- In recent some hydrating nutritive jelly product available in market to provide more scientific nutrition to chicks during transport and at the farms.
- Allow chicks to eat and drink as soon as they are placed in farm. It will provide them with much-needed nutrients, electrolytes and energy to get the digestive system functioning& proper yolk absorption.
- Monitoring feed intake 6, 12 and 24 hours after chick placement is the first key performance indicator. Ensure at least 95% of the crop is full and pliable within the first 24 hours.
- The pre-starter diet should be formulated with a focus on highly digestible protein and energy supplements.
- Follow the feed formulation guidelines as per the breed of the chicks.
- Provide superior probiotics i.e. Closbo WSP through water for healthy microflora establishment in the gut.
- Provide easily digestible high quality & easily digestible vitamins and amino acid supplements i.e. Supravita for early few days to build better immunity and overall development of birds.
- Provide clean water with acidifier to reduce gut pH in chicks which will help to improve digestion and establishment of healthy microflora.
Advantages of Proper Early Nutrition
- Better flock uniformity.
- Proper gut development will benefit in terms of FCR, growth rate and overall health.
- Proper yolk absorption will provide birds the maternal antibodies at right time.
- Early post-hatch nutrition has positive role in the muscle development in broilers.
Bad effects of delayed early nutrition
- Poor utilization of yolk sac
- Delayed GI tract development & immunity
- Reduced performance
- More percent of early mortality & weak birds
Conclusion
Taking care of early chick nutrition is crucial for reducing stress, improving health, and promoting growth in broilers. Providing digestible nutrients, hydration, and probiotics during the first few days supports proper development and yolk absorption. Prioritizing early nutrition ensures better flock performance and profitability.
References:
- https://www.bentoli.com/proper-early-chick-nutrition-is-vital-for-the-development-of-a-healthy-gut/
- https://www.wattagnet.com/broilers-turkeys/article/15524144/first-feed-of-day-old-chicks-is-key-to-bird-performance-wattagnet
- Early Nutrition and Its Importance in Poultry: A Review. doi: 10.5958/2231-6744.2016.00044.X
- https://earlyfeednutrition.com/news/early-nutrition-for-day-old-chicks/
- https://www.biochem.net/en/current-news/news/2020/36-h-early-feeding-key-facts-for-optimal-chick-support.html
- https://benisonmedia.com/effect-of-early-post-hatch-feeding-on-the-development-and-functioning-of-poultry-immune-system/
