The effect of diet composition and particle size on the performance of chicks hatched from small eggs

Conny Maatjens*†, Carla van der Pol*†, Inge van Roovert-Reijrink*

*HatchTech B.V., P.O. Box 256, 3900 AG Veenendaal, the Netherlands. †Adaptation Physiology Group, Wageningen University, P.O. Box 338, 6700 AH Wageningen, the Netherlands.

During the early brooding period, environmental temperature is crucial to maintain optimal chick body temperatures, because chicks are not able to control their own body temperature. When body temperatures are between 40.0 and 40.6°C, chicks are in their thermal neutral zone which ensures early development and growth. Chicks from young breeders are more sensitive to suboptimal brooding conditions than chicks from prime and old breeders (Weytjens et al., 1999). Suboptimal brooding conditions result in higher mortality and reduced growth performance.