EFFECT OF FEEDING TIME ON HATCHABILITY AND QUALITY OF HATCHLINGS FROM BROILER BREEDERS RAISED IN SOUTH-WEST NIGERIA

Abstract

A total no of 240 Marshal Broiler chicken breeder flocks during 40th to 48th weeks of age were used to determine the effect of feeding time on the hatchability and quality of hatchlings raised under tropical environment. The feeding schedule was divided into 3 treatments 3am, 5am and 7am respectively having 3 replicates in each treatments with 20birds per replication. Data obtained were subjected to a completely randomize design. Feeding time had no significant variation between the percentage hatched chicks. The 3am (96.39) and 5am (96.32) treatments are significantly (P<0.05) different from the 7am treatment (90.53). The feeding time 3am and 5am has a higher hatchability percentage compared to the 7am feeding time. However, significant (P>0.05) difference were not observed in the total hatched chicks, but a numerical difference was seen across the treatments with 3am and 5 am recording a higher numerical difference compared to the 7am feeding time. Feeding time has no significant difference on the quality of hatchlings. Hence, it could be concluded that birds fed at 3am and Sam has a higher hatchability performance.