Response of Domestic Chickens to Fasting and Non-Fast Moulting Programs in a Humid Tropical Environment

Abstract

This paper reports the effect of fasting and non-fast moulting methods on the performance of indigenous and Shaver brown (SB) hens in the hot humid tropical environment of Nsukka, Southeastern Nigeria. One hundred and twenty indigenous and Shaver brown hens (60/genotype) aged between 75 and 80 weeks were shared into three groups (20/group), T₁: hens fed layers diet at 125 g/bird/day (control group), T₂: layers mash supplemented with 20,000ppm Zn as ZnO at 125 g/bird/day for 14 days, and T₃: feed deprivation for 14 days. Water was given ad libitum to all birds. Data analyzed were pre-moult and moulting body weight, hen-day egg production (HDEP), and egg weight. Moulting method significantly (p<0.05) affected body weight in SB, as well as HDEP in both genotypes with fasting resulting in a greater loss in body weight and early cessation of egg production compared to zinc supplementation. It was concluded that zinc supplementation at 20,000ppm in the diet of laying chickens was as effective as fasting for moulting of aged exotic and indigenous layer chickens.