EFFECTS OF RESTRICTED FEEDING AT THE CHICK AND GROWING PHASES ON LAYING PERFORMANCE AND EGG QUALITY PARAMETERS OF ISA BROWN CHICKENS

Abstract

Two hundred and seventy (270) pullet chicks were reared in a group for one week. At day 8, the chicks were randomly allotted into 3 treatments such that each treatment had three replicates of 30 chicks each. The chicks in experimental group R0 were fed ad-libitum, R1 were fed six days weekly while R2 received full feeding for five days weekly. After the first 8 weeks, the three groups of birds used in the first experiment were each sub divided into three groups of ad libitum (r0), one-day feed restriction (r1) and two days feed restriction (r2), resulting finally in nine experimental groups. Laying performance, internal and external qualities of eggs were determined. There were no significant difference (p>0.05) in the weights of first egg, egg weight and shell thickness across the treatments. However, R0r0 birds has the highest (p<0.05) value for henday (68.33%) and percentage yolk weight (23.56%) while R2r1 and R2r0 birds had the least (p<0.05) values; 53.41% and 21.26%, recorded for above parameters respectively. The albumen percentage is however significantly (p<0.05) higher in R2r0 birds than R0r0 birds. It could be concluded that starter-restricted Isa Brown layers (R2) had poor laying performance and egg quality with the exception of the albumen percentage. Mild starter-restriction (R1) is recommended as it gave effects similar to ad libitum feeding.